Here we are in this election season stuck to our TVs with dramatic anticipation of the strategies and campaigns put forth by our two leading candidates Barrack Obama and John McCain.  The rhetoric is loud and abound to a deafening pitch as the candidates, their surrogates, news commentators, 527's, and - yours truly - Internet bloggers shout their all important opinions to the world in some hope to sway a portion of the electorate in any given direction.  We watch the battle unfold with a play-by-play anticipation that leaves Super Bowl junkies jealous.

In the end of it all, this is really nothing we haven't seen before, and the hype is nothing more than superficial muck.  The Super Bowl is so much funner to watch because not only does it take less time, but it also comes with better commercials in between plays.

But the battle rages on.  "Gotcha!" schemes are constantly in play as candidates are quick to take advantage of anything the other says.  New videos or pictures pop up from years past catching one of our beloved candidates in an embarrassing moment giving fodder to our press corp to over analyze on national TV.  The issues themselves are beaten to a pulp as surrogates from the opposite sides repeat their mantras hidden behind political agendas.

Why does it always have to be about the strategy?  Why does it have to be about who is raising however much money?  Why does it have to be about campaigns designed to drum up the zealots that even the more flamboyant religions couldn't match?  Why is it that "my guy" is our nation's savior, and "your guy" will lead us to disaster?  Why is it always about our differences, as if we share nothing in common?  And finally, why oh why can't we at least get better commercials in between plays?

The debate over whether or not to allow domestic exploration and drilling of petroleum fuels has largely focused on what kind of effects it will have at the gas pump.  Detractors claim that at best we will see a paltry ten cent reduction in gas prices, while proponents say it will cut the price in half.  Certainly we will run circles around ourselves as both sides point to studies and empirical research that supports their argument.

Although this is a valid concern, other aspects of this whole issue seem to be ignored.  In terms of simple economics, it makes complete sense to expand domestic exploration and drilling, even if it fails to drop the price of gas so much as a single penny.  How so?  Easy. 

We buy the oil from ourselves instead of other countries - many of whom act as our enemies and deny basic rites and rights of democracy to their own citizens.  By buying more oil from ourselves, we are creating American jobs supported by American companies who are owned by American stock holders (aka the middle class).  Or we can create Iranian jobs supported by Iranian companies which are controlled by a dangerous regime that openly talks about wiping Israel off the map.

Surely this is a no-brainer.  Tell me how I'm wrong.