One local man’s passion for politics was reawakened after he was introduced to the Constitution Party during the last election cycle.

Richard Singletary was just one voice in a huge Internet movement that gathered behind Republican Presidential Candidate Ron Paul, whose message is a return to the limited federal government prescribed in the Constitution.

“We’ve got to go back to the Constitution,” Singletary said. “This country was founded by plain, everyday people, just like you and me, for the people, not for the politicians and bankers.”

Paul’s “Campaign for Liberty” drew people like him into the political arena after they thought they’d never support another politician.

It was through Paul’s endorsement of Chuck Baldwin, the presidential candidate of the Constitution Party, Singletary found about the party he’s joined.

Now, Singletary has taken upon himself a leadership role in organizing a Richmond County Constitution Party, and what he perceives to be the task of getting his country to return to its founding principles.

He said he’s been disillusioned with America’s two-party system for decades, primarily because of the discrepancies in what voters are told during the election-cycle and what comes to fruition once politicians take office.

“I was ticked,” Singletary said. “I guess the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back was Ronald Reagan.”

He recalled Reagan calling for tax cuts before being elected, and the President’s theories on “trickle-down” economics.

“Then, when he got in there, I got to looking at my check, and more of it was gone,” he said. “They lowered the tax rate, but raised the taxes. After that, I sort of got out of politics because every time I’d talk to someone, we’d end up fighting and disagreeing.”

Singletary lapsed into the “apathy” he confronts from some people when discussing the Constitution Party — until a friend introduced him to Ron Paul and the Constitution Party last year.

“I could tell there was something different about this platform,” he said. “First, I had never heard Christian principles mentioned by a party before. The only time I’d heard anyone talk about Christianity was when George W. Bush professed to be a Christian, and they made a mockery of him, but what he’s done didn’t dictate what he said anyway. If you look at his actions he doesn’t appear to be Christian at all.”

He said the fact the Constitution Party recognizes people’s rights to freedom of religious expression was a big draw for him - a church deacon, Sunday School teacher and Gideon.

“If there were three things that really clinched it for our family, it would be these three,” Singletary said. “First, no abortions, period ... I believe every child is made perfect and holy by God for a purpose, and deserves protection. The second was the fact they believe in a traditional family structure, one man and one woman, and those two flesh become one.

“Third, they want a return to the basic Christian principles of our forefathers that this country was founded on.”

He cautions people the forefather’s interpretation of the role of government and what we have come to accept are directly opposed to each other. The first discrepancy is the role of the federal government.

The Constitution Party believes the role of the federal government should be to regulate militias for the defense of the states, to coin and borrow money, make laws applicable to the District of Columbia and to declare war to protect the nation from invasion.

It’s platform states all legislative powers beyond these should belong to the states, as is explicitly stated in the Constitution of the United States of America. Anything beyond this is unconstitutional, and therefore illegal.

He told a story about an interview with former representative Robin Hayes, during which Hayes discussed regulations and funding he’d battled for “for the betterment of his district.”

“He was asked what he believed the role of the federal government to be, and he said basically the same thing we believe, but it was like, ‘Well, then how can you do all that other stuff?’ and he said it was ‘for the betterment of his district,’” he said.

Singletary said he feels the passage of hugely unpopular bailouts for large banking corporations and other financial institutions, higher taxes for the middle class and the loss of civil liberties the American people are experiencing has one clear message from all the politicians in Washington and Raleigh.

Singletary said that during his recruiting efforts around the county, he’s talked to many people who share his opinions about the political climate of this nation, and others who are just going along to get along.

“When you first start talking to them, it’s probably 50/50, but once you start to discuss the party with them; about 85 percent of the people I talk to agree that we need to change the direction we’re headed in,” he said. “The other 15 percent are kind of apathetic, they’re just like ‘whatever,’ and try to stay out of politics. They don’t realize how much the decisions these people make affect their lives.”

He also reports hearing people say things like, “I think they’re all liars and thieves up there anyway, but there’s nothing I can do about it,” or “I’d vote for them if there was anyway they could win, but the Republicans and Democrats have too much money.”

Singletary voiced his opinion that the economic crisis we’re in the midst of offers people an opportunity to wake up to what’s going on, but also a chance the situation will worsen.

“We need to do something right now,” Singletary said. “It’s past the time to act. This country is on the edge of financial ruin, of martial law and total chaos. We need to act right now to save the principles this country was founded on - law and order, not following people who think they’re above the law and do things that are unconstitutional. If not now, when? If not us, who?

“We in the Constitution Party would like to see a trickle-up effect, so the will of ‘We, the People’ can be expressed.”

Singletary invites the public to discuss these values at the party’s meetings.

The Constitution Party meets the first Thursday of every month at the East Rockingham Senior Center. He said refreshments are provided and people are encouraged to ask questions and voice their opinions in a democratic manner.