Will Ron Paul upset the apple cart?

Republican or Democrat, you can't argue with the fact that our politicians in Washington are failing the American people.

The other day the GOP finally caved to the realization that playing politics with middle-class tax relief was a losing proposition.

Meanwhile, the Democrats and President Obama play politics with our nation's energy dependence (or lack thereof) by denying the application of an oil company to build an oil pipeline from Alberta, Canada, to refineries in Texas.

Both parties are complicit in excessive government spending, a complicated tax code that benefits special interests, and a complete lack of responsibility about the staggering national debt — currently at $15 trillion. To understand how bad the debt situation is consider this: You would have to spend $1 million a day for the next 2,739 years to blow through a trillion dollars. Now multiply by 15.

The only thing the two parties generally agree on (albeit behind closed doors) is that they need to maintain the status quo so they can continue to get re-elected.

Of course we voters are to blame because most of us would in fact punish those politicians who show leadership by raising our taxes, cutting our benefits or not "giving" us the largess we feel so entitled to. The American way used to be about sacrifice, personal responsibility and hard work. Today it's about "what's the government going to do for me next?"

Over the last few years Barack Obama has shown what he meant by "change." He meant less change in your pocket, more government spending, more debt for our children, and more trampling of constitutional freedoms. The president's policies are so wildly unpopular he will have to run a smear campaign next fall in order to win re-election. Forget about "hope and change."

Even if Newt Gingrich or Mitt Romney beat Obama, little will change. They're both typical, flip-flopping career politicians whom the establishment will find a way to tolerate if not embrace.

Ron Paul remains an intriguing wild card in the race. Paul has been consistent, though his ideals are more libertarian than conservative, and thus his message of fiscal responsibility gets lost on traditional conservatives, who fear his views about legalized marijuana and the like. Recent revelations that a newsletter put out by Paul years ago that some will find racially insensitive could also derail his long-shot candidacy.

But Paul's biggest failing is voters are mostly simpletons. Ultimately the candidate who wins is generally the most personable, attractive and least threatening of the bunch. With his diminutive stature, nasally voice, distorted face and curmudgeonly manner, Paul has about as much chance of getting elected president as Montgomery Burns — the nuclear power plant owner and boss of cartoon character Homer Simpson.

One thing is certain; Paul would upset the apple cart. He'd be a threat to the IRS, the welfare state, the military industry, union thugs and corporate bosses. In short, everybody would hate him, and he'd never get anything done because Washington (as reflected by voters) likes things just the way they are — even if we are headed to hell in a handbasket.