Lounging with Libertarians

The fifth annual Lounging with Libertarians was an event that aimed to bring together elected officials from every side of the political spectrum.
Political party did not matter Saturday at the fifth annual Lounging with Libertarians. Elected officials from every side extended an olive branch in political harmony at the White House Hotel for the free event. House of Rep. Libertarian Candidate Ric McCluskey said, “The discourse right now in the nation is getting a little fiery and we want to show everybody, especially the Libertarian Party, that we have common ground with everyone. We want to bring other people to the party and show that we are very credible party to come to.”
The Libertarian Party has the third most registered voters of all political parties and elected officials say it is gaining traction. Libertarians in attendance used this afternoon as a time to share more information about their growing party’s views. Daniel Hayes with the Libertarian National Committee said, “So, basically, we believe you should be able to do whatever you want as long as you are not hurting someone else and their property or posing a substantial risk to it and you accept responsibility for your actions. That’s what most people agree with. They want to be left alone. They want to live their own lives. The Libertarians are really the only way to live.”
The overarching theme of the event was bridging the gap between the political parties. “So, this is us reaching across the aisle to let other people get to know us and let them know that we are the vehicle that they should be on,” said Hayes.
The crowd listened to Democrat mayor and keynote speaker Jason Shelton speak. “What I appreciate about this conference is the bridging the gap aspect. We have got to all talk so Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians. If we are going to be productive in government and society we have to have an open dialogue with one another,” said Shelton.
Shelton is the mayor of Tupelo, Mississippi. He told News 25 he planned to speak about his focus on individual liberties, which he feels is a similarity between the Democrat and Libertarian parties.
In attendance was McClain Mayor Steve McCluskey who is the first elected Libertarian in the state of Mississippi. Mayor McCluskey has recently joined his son, Ric, as a member of the Libertarian Party. He says he wants to reach people just like him who may not know much about the party. “Old people and old country boys like me, I want them to listen to what I got to say. Look at this thing, don’t look at it with a closed mind. We believe the same thing, it’s just a different party than what the major parties want us to think.”