I visit because I'm a news junkie. Any other insults you want to hurl?
You are mistaking problems with slow response with the look and feel of Free Republic. IMO the look and feel is just dandy. Apparently you don't like it, too old fashioned. You've made your point.
And that points to the other recent problem many are experiencing with FR. In my first 8 years here I had one real argument with another FReeper. We used to be entitled to our own opinions, and we accepted that our areas of disagreement were small. In the past year nearly every post I've made of substance has elicited a string of insults from someone who joined fairly recently.
I show up to check the headlines these days, but rarely bother attempting to discuss them.