Congressman Bill Sali, Idaho's Resident Idiot

Somehow, some way, Bill Sali gets to represent Idaho's 1st district in the U.S. House of Representatives. He isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but his tenure in the Idaho State House and the political makeup of the state got him in the seat two years ago. Sali has made many blunders, provoking ire from all directions. His latest outburst however, is just downright loony.

From ThinkProgress:

Rep. Bill Sali (R-ID), who is participating in the GOP’s ongoing “Drill Now” energy stunt, has a unique idea about how to bring down gas prices: extracting oil from trees. In a meeting in his Capitol Hill office, Sali reportedly told a candidate for Idaho’s House of Representatives, Byron Yankey, that there “‘could be up to 40 barrels of oil‘ in a single tree.” Yankey wrote on his campaign blog:

Congressman Sali informed us that a solution to the high price of gasoline was to make petroleum from “all those trees in our forests.” … He continued by saying there “could be up to 40 barrels of oil” in a single tree.[...]

Sali is apparently confusing cellulosic ethanol with oil, so let’s review the differences for the representative:

– Cellulosic ethanol is a renewable fuel “derived from the stalks and stems of plants.” Sali voted against cellulosic ethanol tax credits.

– Oil is a nonrenewable fuel found in the ground. Sali received $35,000 in campaign contributions from oil and gas companies since January 2007.

Sali is a confused man, but judging his campaign coffers, his motivations are crystal clear. Though maybe he would rather clear-cut the trees and extract possible oil shale. Whatever it takes to please the oil lobbyists, Bill Sali is game.