The story has been corrected to state there are almost 500,000 registered Libertarians nationwide.

Daniel Wise, chair of the Pearl River County Libertarian Party, spoke to members of the Rotary Club of Poplarville on Wednesday about his party’s platforms.

“Don’t hit people and don’t take their stuff,” is a common principle every parent teaches their child, Wise said, expressing that the same philosophy should apply to government.

Wise encouraged attendees to think about their political and economic beliefs and research the platform of the Libertarian Party.

The party has almost 500,000 registered members, Carla Howell, political director of the National Libertarian Party said.

With Ross Perot and Gary Johnson being the most well known members, Wise said the party is small, but some of the ideologies are popping up in the Republican and Democratic parties.

In regards to Perot, Wise said, “everything that man has said has come to pass.”

Wise said he was asked to chair the county Libertarian Party committee, alongside Vice Chair Dalton Traylor and Secretary Jeremy Johnson.

“Anyone that wants to run for office [as a Libertarian] should talk to me,” he said, making reference to his own campaign for the Mississippi District 106 legislative seat last year.

“The Libertarian party is the only political organization that represents you as a unique individual…the government shouldn’t be able to tell you what you cannot do with your property, speech or your body, so long as it doesn’t harm someone else,” Wise said.

He called for the removal of excess governmental regulations, and repeated the Libertarian principal that “taxation is theft.”

“Mississippi is dying because of our corporate welfare,” due to large tax breaks for corporations and tax increases for individuals, Wise said.

“The government’s only responsibility should be to protect people from force and fraud,” he said.

Wise also encouraged the public to remain informed and vigilant about legislation being discussed in Jackson and in the District of Columbia.

“You have children, grandchildren. What world are you going to leave them?” he said.

For more information, visit the Libertarian Party of Pearl River County Facebook page.

In a separate matter, the Rotary Club of Poplarville announced a donation of 168 children’s books to the Poplarville Excel By 5 program at Pearl River Community College. Club President Jennifer Seal said she was happy the group exceeded its goal of donating 100 books.

Seal also invited Rotary members to participate in the Dr. Seuss Week with the Poplarville Women’s Club from Feb. 27 through March 3.