May 19, 2026
Libertarian Party chair Steven Nekhaila and vice chair Paul Darr called me to revisit a chapter of LP history that should never have been forgotten. What happened after that call is why I rejoined the party after more than two decades.
That’s a paragraph I never expected to write.
Two years ago, I did a Gracearchy episode about the Libertarian Party after Donald Trump was invited to speak. From that stunt until now, a lot has happened.
And somewhere along the way, behind the scenes, I became…
Part of the Story
Indeed, the story I’m about to tell you is mine. Zero Aggression Project is legally non-partisan and anti-partisan by temperament. The views expressed here are only mine, personally.
And those views are controversial.
Two years after joining the Libertarian Party, in 1996, I was serving as a state chair. Eighteen months after that, I was the press secretary for the Harry Browne campaign.
- That was 1999, when the LP reached its membership apex.
- In 2000, the party achieved its fundraising record.
The strategy responsible for those records was called Project Archimedes.
Project Archimedes was a strategy of leverage: Do this one thing right, and the other good things you need to succeed begin to come to you. We reveal that one thing, in this episode. But, as you can see…
It was working.
Yet the example of the Archimedes era leaders was consistently squandered (where it wasn’t repudiated or even lied about) ever since.
The Call
It’s my “day job” to consult with more than a half-dozen organizations, and my strategic advice is sought out by dedicated libertarians nearly every business day.
So when Paul Darr asked for a three-way call with Steven Nekhaila and me, I agreed. Most of the call was a history lesson, with a dash of what went wrong after Archimedes. Paul tells that story in this new episode.
Here’s what struck me…
Both men listened. Then they decided, quickly and seriously, to do the right thing.
They wanted to resurrect Project Archimedes. That’s why I want you to meet them.
OR…
Why This Interview Belongs on Gracearchy
This is not the normal fare for Gracearchy with Jim Babka.
Politics is non-graceful. So why is this a Gracearchy episode?
Because I want fewer things to be political. I believe this party is a peaceful pathway for turning off the power of the State.
And there is another reason this belongs here.
The person who conceived of and initially managed Project Archimedes is also the co-creator of the Zero Aggression Project, Perry Willis. He was also my partner at Downsize DC from 2004 to 2019.
And when Steven Nekhaila and Paul Darr decided to do the right thing, part of that involved hiring Perry Willis to be the Libertarian Party’s Development Director.
And now Perry is bringing back this classic strategy, modified by hard lessons and modern tools. The updated strategy is called The Parity Project, and… We discuss it in this episode.
Here is the tension
Steven Nekhaila and Paul Darr are not running for re-election to their current seats.
The Parity Project is barely started. That means this is a crucial time to hear from them.
Who are these men? Why did they make this move? What did they learn? What happens next?
I cannot answer all of those questions for you. But I can tell you this:
For the first time in a long time, I can report that the leadership of the Libertarian Party is finally, and again, doing the right thing.
And if that is true, wouldn’t you want to hear about it?
We’re on these audio podcasting platforms: Spotify * Pandora * iHeart * Apple, and several others.
We’re featuring today’s episode on…
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These simple actions are like contributions. Thank you!
ZAP The State and have a nice day,
Jim Babka
Host, Gracearchy with Jim Babka
Co-creator, Zero Aggression Project
P.S. Because Steven Nekhaila and Paul Darr are now, finally, trying to make the party restart the right strategy, 26 years later, I have rejoined the Libertarian Party. I will attend my first national convention in 26 years this weekend in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Jim Babka is the co-creator of the Zero Aggression Project. However, the views expressed in the show do not necessarily reflect those of the board, staff, or supporters of the Zero Aggression Project (Downsize DC Foundation). Sometimes, an LLM may be used to help with blogging elements.