It's the economy, but it's not stupid.

When Obama took office, gas was $1.85 per gallon. It is now $3.90 or more.

I listened to a speech by Newt Gingrich at the southern republican leadership conference last night. Not only is the man articulate, but he offers substance as well as great podium, without a teleprompter. He proposed the following: (i) Lower the capital gains tax to zero. It would annoy the other countries but would send cash to America for new businesses; (ii) Cut the corporate tax rate to 12.5% and allow American firms to bring the cash back into the USA at a reasonable tax rate; (iii) Allow businesses to write off all equipment purchases 100% in the year of the purchase; and (iv) Eliminate the death tax.

He made other suggestions too. Many people will characterize his suggestions as an attempt to help American business at another person's expense. And it is. It is at the expense of the countries that we have sent our jobs to for the last 25 years. Gingrich wants to bring some of those jobs back home, or at least stop the job drain.

According to Gingrich and others, there is $2 trillion sitting in the banks of American firms in other countries and American firms will not bring the cash home as long as the corporate tax rate is high. Those of you who saw, the HBO movie, "To Big to Fail" may recall the CEO of General Electric when he called Washington and demanded that the treasury needed to bail out the banks, to save GE, which they did. Did you also know that GE with billions of dollars in profits paid no federal taxes? Zero. Zip. Nada.

Unfortunately, I do not believe that Gingrich can be elected president. In a political election, much to my own dismay, form always trumps substance. However, I can only hope that the other candidates will take good notes from Gingrich and make bold plans to revive the economy based on the suggestions that Gingrich proposes.

Gingrich also made another suggestion. He would audit the federal reserve and find out where the billions and billions of dollars sent to firms like AIG went. Wouldn't we all like to know that before we forget about it?

My hat is off to you Mr. Gingrich, do not let those sleeping dogs lie.