And the Answer to Rocketing Oil Prices and Sinking Home Prices is... Offshore Oil Drilling?

Rarely do you get such an easy bouncing ball to follow as to how a business issue (rising oil prices) becomes a consumer issue (rising gas prices) that boomerangs on the economy (suburban homes already on the brink of foreclosure become even less attractive due to the expensive commutes) so that it turns into a political issue (Pres. Bush, Sen./Republican party presumptive presidential nominee McCain, and Florida Gov./potential VP pick Crist now support offshore oil drilling). Why do you care? You care because if the solution to gas prices is offshore oil drilling, then what about energy research? What about consumer pressure on the auto industry for more fuel efficient cars? On the other hand, you also care because if you live in the burbs lower gas prices mean more in your pocket on your daily commute, not to mention your neighborhood starts to looks reasonable again as a bedroom community for your town. And you really care because mortgage applications are at a new low for the year. Politically, we wonder if the political bank shot goes something like this: Given that McCain and Obama are so tight in the polls among independents, is the McCain campaign betting that gas prices/wallet issues will trump environmental issues among independents? Seems like a smart political reporter with access to his/her news organization's polling archives could answer that in a solid piece.