Donald Trump’s latest “troll” of renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America is landing with a giant thud, even with his own MAGA voters.
Politico did a great article covering how mayors at our northernmost borders are feeling, starting with Robert Corradino, a Republican mayor from Oswego, New York. His town includes the only commercial port on Lake Ontario, so he has unique insight into the lake’s history and how people on both sides of the border view it.
Suffice to say, he is not pleased. He called the decision “regrettable” and said, “The water is part of our identity…Not only our identity, but the economy and the history of the lake is tied to the city.”
Oswego is not a huge town – only about 17,000 people. It is a city that does not represent any one party, proudly split between Democrats and Republicans. But Oswego COUNTY is pretty Republican, going for Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
Even though the county went for Trump, legislators from both parties “approved a resolution rejecting the new name, out of concern for the cost of the rebrand on taxpayers and businesses. The resolution said it does not intend to diminish the authority of the federal government; rather, it aims to “recognize the longstanding historical and regional significance of the name Lake Ontario.” ”
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