You're completely wrong. There are several intermediate servers that give HORRENDOUS response times at particular times of the day. The tracert command (tracert www.freerepublic.com) reveals the culprits. It's possible that you do not have these servers in your path to Free Republic.
Even on debate nights, I had little trouble. I have a modest machine running Firefox on w7, and a Verizon DSL connection which is not exactly their fastest pipe. I am no IT person. There are no problems loading. It’s not any slower than anything else.
I am an IT person. Your experience points the finger AWAY from Free Republic, and to another culprit.
I thought that was what I was trying to say: it's not FR's fault.
By the way, you can all laugh at me now. I just had a "problem loading page" message just like you! The gods of the innerwebs are smiting me for my bragging. :-)