This cartoon critiques the recent decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” a move that has drawn criticism for prioritizing symbolic patriotism over pressing national issues. The idea traces back to a satirical comment by Stephen Colbert in 2010 following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

“I don’t think we can call it the Gulf of Mexico anymore,” Colbert said. “We broke it, we bought it.”

Two years later, a 2012 Mississippi legislative proposal introduced it as a joke. Rep. Steny Hoyer called it a “sick joke” and criticized Republicans the bill’s author, Rep. Greene, Marjorie Taylor, for focusing on “400-year-old words on a map” instead of pressing issues. Yet, as demonstrated by the bill passed in January 2025, the satirical origins appear to have been lost, raising concerns about misplaced legislative focus.