Our 2nd Quarter FReepathon is Underway!

Click to donate via FR secure server ^ | April 1, 2004 | Jim Robinson

[Jim Robinson]

Woo hoo!! Are you ready for another FReepathon!?

It's time once more for us to raise the funds that are necessary to keep Free Republic on the air.

People have asked me if the $60,000 settlement with the City of Fresno means we won't have to have a fundraiser this time. Well, I wish it could be so, but, unfortunately, it's not.

First of all, we did not actually receive $60,000. After legal fees, mediation fees and other expenses directly related to the suit, we netted approximately $34,000. Of that, we distributed over $10,000 to the members of the Fresno Chapter who were in business and their businesses suffered due to the city's libel and also to the members who met with us regularly on a weekly basis. Then, due to the fact that the city was late with their press release and no media picked it up, we paid approximately $2,000 to run ads in several valley papers announcing the city's retraction.

The approximately $22,000 left over will be used in our operations. We plan to use about $4,000 to upgrade our equipment and $10,000 or more will go for taxes. I plan to use part of the balance to beef up our insurance coverage and also will look into a health insurance plan. The remainder will be used for travel and other expenses. I still hope to visit as many chapters as I possibly can over the next year or so, but obviously won't be doing so in a motor home (you had to have been there to get the inside joke). We'll be traveling in our trusty old FReepermobile van. She's an 11 year old Mercury Villager with 150,000 miles, but she's got good rubber, purrs like a kitten and is pretty good on gas.

So, as it turns out, the settlement has strengthened Free Republic and also has strengthened the conservative position in the City of Fresno. As a result of our suit, the controversial loony peacenik chair person of the Fresno City Human Relations Commission who committed the libel against us and has also caused much turmoil within the city and the city council has resigned "to pursue other interests." Also, the loony liberal President of the Fresno City Council who made some ridiculous comments belittling the suit and the settlement in the Fresno Bee was voted out of office just a couple months later.

So, as I've said before, the settlement is a win, win, win position. It's a win for Free Republic, a win for the City of Fresno, and, ultimately, a win for the taxpayers.

At any rate, we thank all of you who participate on Free Republic and support our efforts and we look forward to another exciting election cycle.

Hope to see y'all either on our road trip and or at the Free Republic George W. Bush Inaugural Ball II in January!!

Go GWB!!

[Indy Pendance]

LOL! I like the heinz logo!

There are two fools in this world. One is the millionaire who thinks that by hoarding money he can somehow accumulate real power, and the other is the penniless reformer who thinks that if only he can take the money from one class and give it to another, all the world's ills will be cured.
-- Henry Ford

[Indy Pendance]

A mother takes twenty years to make a man of her boy, and another woman makes a fool of him in twenty minutes.
-- Robert Frost

[Brad’s Gramma]

They said it was absolutely overwhelming!

As it should be! SUCH wonderful news! Tell them THANK YOU for their service to this great country of ours, please?

[Lady Jag]

Sure...well...Pepe lePieu wears diapers!

[Mo1]

Just thought I'd drop in a minute and see what you all were doing.

From what I hear .. it's pick on Grammie Night :0)

[Indy Pendance]

Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark, or the man afraid of the light?
-- Maurice Freehill

[Brad’s Gramma]

I don't suppose I could yell April Fools and anyone would believe me, right??????

[McGavin999]

What? Again? That's exactly what you were doing the last fundraiser. Sheesh you guys, let's do something new or we'll turn into dull old liberals recycling the same old ideas time after time after time.

[Mo1]

You want the Truth???

[Brad’s Gramma]

[Jim Robinson]

Thank you AJ504!!

[Indy Pendance]

I'd rather watch Pepe than smell a French Sumo wrestler!

[Brad’s Gramma]

Yeah! You TELL em!

Mo! LOOKIE HERE!!!!

[McGavin999]

Boy Jim, you're about two pages late!

[Brad’s Gramma]

Nope. Sometimes a lie is a good thing! LOL!

[Jim Robinson]

Woo hoo! Way to go!!

[Mo1]

Sheesh you guys, let's do something new or we'll turn into dull old liberals recycling the same old ideas time after time after time.

OK ... I'm game .. got any ideas???

[Jim Robinson]

Just in:

$50 from South Carolina
$100 from California
$10 from South Carolina
$20 from Michigan

Thank you all very much!!

[McGavin999]

As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to make a donation of $10 for each of them. BRB

[Brad’s Gramma]

Just in:

$50 from South Carolina
$100 from California
$10 from South Carolina
$20 from Michigan

Thank you all very much!!