Lest you think by reading the title above that this post is about Metallica and their classic hit from 1991, let me jump right in to the matter at hand. Political elections possess a dichotomy that is virtually unparalleled in that they are exceedingly complex and yet profoundly simple at the same time. This election is no different. There are countless variables to be considered: race, age, sex, political climate, shifting demographics, personality traits, and voter turnout to name a few, let alone the beliefs of the candidates and the events of the day. Every election cycle, scores of people feebly attempt to account for all of these variables when making their, usually off base, predictions. In their defense, though…it’s a daunting task. Honestly, it’s probably an impossible one, and my theory is that the more data they compile the more they realize how much more data there is that they haven’t yet compiled. Therefore, it also stands to reason that amidst the charts, polls, and never ending facts, figures, and speculation about them that one could very easily lose sight of the forest for the trees. It seems the pollsters, pundits, and prognosticators often do. You see, countless variables to be considered aside, elections are conversely very simple in that, in the end, they usually come down to one, and only one, real issue. Again, this election is no different. The only question, then, is…what’s the issue?

It’s the economy, stupid. More specifically…gas prices. No surprise there, I imagine. Nearly everyone is fed up with $4 gas. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, undecideds, you name it…everybody wants the fuel situation addressed, and they want it addressed now. It’s the universally cared about problem, and the one that still leaves many yet uncommitted to either candidate. Think about it. If you are passionate about life issues or the war, for instance, you’ll have no problem identifying with either Obama or McCain, depending on your views. However, millions of Americans don’t have strong feelings on these topics but are extremely concerned with how much it costs them to fill up their gas tank each week. Hard partisans, like myself, had theoretically already cast our votes before the presumptive nominees were even announced. The thing is, though, guys like me don’t decide elections. It’s the silent, unresolved voter who looks only at the most pressing predicament of the day that decides elections…and folks, there are a ton of them out there. That is why, in my opinion, whichever candidate can better convince those still undecided persons that they are best equipped to ease their collective pain at the pump will no doubt also ease their way into the Oval Office. So which candidate is in a better position to do this? Interestingly enough, the sky high gas prices actually offer both Obama and McCain each a great political opportunity.

Barack Obama is a far left candidate running for President in a center-right country. He is noticeably less qualified than his opponent, and his only real political skill is speaking behind a teleprompter. Therefore, he did the only thing he could do…to try and make this election a referendum on George Bush. However, the main issue that has made Bush so unpopular (the Iraq war) has improved so dramatically as of late, that it has left Obama with nothing to talk about but the economy. Luckily for him, gas prices are out of control. Because, even as he and Democrats everywhere constantly caution us that we are stumbling into a deep, deep depression, the numbers don’t really add up. The economy grew 3.3% last month, which is anywhere between 1 and 2 percentage points higher than nearly every other country in the industrialized world. Unemployment has been, on average, lower during the Bush years than during any of the previous four decades, and government revenue was drastically higher during Bush’s two terms than during Clinton’s, even though Bush slashed taxes and inherited a recession. I could continue. So, if it wasn’t for gas prices hurting the wallets of Americans everywhere, and in turn giving them the impression that we’re headed over a cliff economically, what could Obama’s platform be? It couldn’t be “more of the same” if the same was a war that’s been won and a robust, growing economy. With fuel costs the way they are, though, Obama is able to point to the two oil-men in the White House and pin the blame on them. For him, $4 gas is a God-send.

John McCain, on the other hand, though he would on paper beat Obama 10 out of 10 times, entered into this election as the underdog. He did so primarily because of the sour climate for Republicans, which can be traced back to George Bush and his 30% approval rating. In fact, even though of all the Republicans to win the nomination McCain is perhaps the least like George Bush, there was probably nothing he could have done to counter Obama’s claims that he would be simply Bush’s 3rd term. Nothing, that is, until an opportunity arose to align himself on a mammoth issue with upwards of 70% of the American public. Drill here, drill now. There isn’t an excuse good enough to convince the vast majority of Americans that drilling for oil on our shores isn’t a smart idea, and by picking an Alaskan who gets that as his running mate, it seems that John McCain may get it too. All he has to do now is beat it like a dead horse, and the Presidency is his to lose.

So, where does that leave us? Well, there is now only a month and a half until the election. Gas prices remain higher than ever, and undecided voters are looking for someone to blame and for someone to turn to. The next President of the United States hinges on who they perceive those someones to be.

I got to be honest, I have a hard time identifying with the undecided voter. Of course, like I said before, I’m the guy that, because of a myriad of issues, and barring some catastrophic shift, knows I’m going to vote Republican before I know who the Republican to vote for even is. Hey, and I know I’m far from alone in that thought process. Apparently though, there are millions upon millions of Americans out there who aren’t like me (go figure)…and in their minds, in this election, lowering gas prices is what matters most. In fact, to them you could almost say that nothing else matters.

I can hear James Hetfield now.