Prices fall, president's approval rating rebounds

Gas prices are falling as you may have noticed and, just as President Bush's approval ratings fell with the rising prices, they are now rising as gas prices fall. So, it appears that American's assess the president's job performance soley based on the price we pay for gas (which I thought had more to do with gas production verses gas demand/usage). If I were an extremist anti-American Mid-Eastern oil baron, that would be something I would be interested in knowing.
But in fact I am an American citizen and as such I must say that the sort of short-sighted, instant gratification, money centered, and shallow political culture that this trend suggests for the majority of Americans is neither surprising nor encouraging. I am sure the attitudes that are hinted at by this trend are also connected with our shallow, "sound-bite" political discourse.
Now I certainly don't want to sound like one of those conservative talk-radio types who does naught but gripe and finger-point all day. But really, how can we expect to have a meaningful, useful, and responsible political life (in the world's richest nation and only remaining superpower) if we are that superficial?