Posted on 11/28/2001 7:31:29 PM PST by Jim Robinson
Free Republic has had one helluva run over the last five years or so. We helped impeach one president and helped get another into office. We've been active in demonstrations and protests in nearly every city across the nation. We've participated in conventions, petition drives, activism campaigns and projects for dozens of conservative causes.
We've grown from a tiny web site with a few hundred posters and readers from the time of inception in 1996, to one with tens of thousands of participants today. Along the way we've made lots of great friends and, unfortunately, also made lots of bitter enemies.
We've grown from a small web site that I could manage myself on a part-time basis to a huge monster that has totally consumed all of my time and resources plus nearly all of John's time, plus the time and resources of many dedicated FReepers who volunteer or contribute large amounts of their own time and money.
The site is now consuming all of a 10 mbps dedicated line with two servers and we're still growing, and it consumes large amounts of money to keep all this running. In the early years, it only took a few thousand dollars per month to keep Free Republic on the air, but it is now costing over $20,000 per month to cover all expenses.
The major costs include approximately $8,000 per month for bandwidth, 3,000 for systems management and programming services, 7,000 for management, operating and administrative services, plus two or three thousand per month for miscellaneous office expenses, telephone, communications, repairs & maintenance, travel & lodging, postage, rentals, insurance, legal fees, accounting fees, etc., etc.
We anticipate a reduction in bandwidth costs next year as we renegotiate our contract (the market price for bandwidth has fallen recently), however, that will be more than offset by an expected increase in costs of our legal expenses. As most of you know, our pro bono attorney has left us and we've hired a new attorney to continue with our case, plus we have the suit against eschoir to pay for. My projections are that our regular monthly expenses for next year will be running in the neighborhood of $22,000 per month, or approximately $264,000 total for the year. This means we will need to raise approximately $66,000 per quarter.
Talking about making enemies, we've got several ex-FReepers and other detractors who are claiming on their anti-freeper web sites that I am ripping off the donors and that Free Republic is a fraud. Now, Free Republic is what it is, and it is definitely not a fraud. It is a conservative news discussion forum that encourages participation in politics and activism projects. It is not being billed as anything else. We are not selling or promising anything. And I am being up front about our operating costs. The costs of running Free Republic are what I've stated above and they are necessary to keep FR on the air. I do not have the financial wherewithal to operate this site without your help. If the majority of the FReepers feel that these costs are out of line or too much to bear or that Free Republic is no longer wanted or needed, then we will either cut it back or shut it down or do something altogether different.
I've also been criticized about not making our financials public. Well, the reason I do not want to do this is that I have been sued, both personally and as Free Republic, LLC. The people suing us want to bankrupt us and shut us down. They subpoenaed our financial records, but we refused to turn them over. The judge agreed that the plaintiffs have no right to the information, thus I have no intention of making any more of it public than I absolutely have to, until this lawsuit is resolved. You all know the amounts of money we raise if you follow the fundraising threads. It is all above board and out in the open. The totals posted by BadJoe are usually pretty close to the actual cash received and the amounts expended are pretty close to the amounts projected. No one is getting rich here and no one is being ripped off. The funds raised are being used for the purposes stated, and that is keeping this website on the air and that's it. Nothing fraudulent about it. Those who want to help fund us freely do so with nothing expected in return. Those who do not want to contribute do not have to.
There was a thread running this morning where people were making all kinds of accusations about Free Republic "hiding the truth" or whatever. These accusations are being made by Chuck Allan and others and fall along the same line with the accusations being made by some of the earlier banees or AFers including Mojo, Inspector Harry Callahan, Arator, keep U.S. Sovereign, TKEman and others. Some of these people are existing FReepers and some are banned. I am going to reinstate Mojo, Inspector Harry Callahan and Arator's accounts so they can join Chuck Allan, TKEman, K.U.S.S. and whomever else wants to get involved, and I invite them to come onto this thread and make their accusations public. As long as they do not go onto other threads and make a nuisance of themselves, I will let them have their say.
Like I said above, if it is time for Free Republic to go away so be it. Those who want to keep it going speak up. Those who want it to go away, tell us why. But if those who want it to be gone lose out in the debate, then I'd say they should just go away themselves, or, in the very least, shut up and quit whining about it.
Thanks,
Jim
On the other hand, your note about the bandwidth eaten by such discussions is also pertinent. Perhaps we could each refrain from "me, too" posts, or continuing discussions that have drifted off-topic into the realm of pure chat. After all, there are plenty of programs and services out there that support pure chat, and it's seldom difficult to start a new room or mailing list on one of them. Yahoo!Groups is one such.
And what might that be, pray tell. (eyes rolling)
I think it's hilarious that you are now denying that you did, in fact, discuss with the people over there that you were't sure it wasn't me, so maybe you'd just leave it there to post for awhile until you could be sure who it really was, even though you KNEW it wasn't me. Everybody over here was watching and they all know what a fraud you are.
Just to clear up your confusion (which our mutual friend will confirm), the fake Howlin was dispatched -- ie posting privileges suspended -- within hours of my getting the word. The subsequent controversy was as to whether "her" posts should be deleted. As I regarded them to be a brilliant (and funny) parody of your foul posting personality, I was inclined not to delete them. JenLart, however, was so personally hurt by the fake Howlin's attacks against her, that she insisted that they be deleted despite the fact that the attacks themselves constituted an hilarious send-up of Guild-think. In the end, later that day I acceded to JenLarts wishes and deleted them.
Now, you no doubt wish to call me a liar again. (yawn)
She left a note. Mexico won't let her back so she's trying Fidel in Cuba. She just can't handle all the Americans in this country anymore. Weird!!!
Stay well.
huh??
remind you of certain posters??
You had better respond too! =o)
I'm confident that you've set the all-time Free Republic record for the most maximus opus ever recorded.
You've worked hard to achieve this milestone. Congratulations!
ps: What would it take to get you to stop posting your epic, besides banning you periodically?
From: Arator Jun-3 4:51 pm
To: ALL (1 of 43)
My initial instincts were that HOWLINFR was a parody of the worst aspects of Guilder-think. But, after going through and carefully excising her personal attacks, I am now no longer certain. There was an intensity of passion in her posts which would be difficult to fake. So, I offer the question up to the forum as a whole. Do you think HOWLINFR was the REAL Howlin or a Guilder parody?
Hell, the Red Cross and the United Way can't even be trusted not to cook the books and you're put out by one little 'ol website that doesn't even charge admission? What's it to you if they don't show their books? Why aren't you harassing Operation PUSH instead?
The conservative movement cannot get into a Clintonesque type situation in which we are not holding accountable those that represent us, whether on the net, or in political operations. Sadly, I've come to the conclusion that your refusal to account in a real way for the monies raised represent a lack of accountability that I simply am not willing to tolerate in conservative circles.
If JimRob kept all the money gathered from this venture and he and JohnRob used it on lavish vacations in Tahiti every year or to keep a dozen mistresses quiet, I'm frankly not bothered by it. 1) He's not supported by tax money. 2) He's not running a church. 3) He is providing a service to thousands absolutely free of charge. I'm getting more than a full return on my investment in Free Republic. What they used my money for isn't really my concern, any more than I'd be bothered with how my car mechanic spent the money I paid him to fix my car. The car is fixed. His side of the deal is honored. He's now free to use the money as he sees fit.
I would like to see the following accounting tools posted:
Chart of Accounts complete - specifically, monies paid to employees and representatives of Free Republic Statement of Cash Flows
Balance Sheet
Income Statement
Then volunteer to work for FR as an accountant. Or join the IRS and audit him (no doubt Clinton already has). While you're at it, let's see the same vigor against Operation PUSH!
Specifically, I would like to see the documents that the Accountants are producing, NOT a raw posting of said documents worked up by Bob J or someone else... I posted on Reformation that the anti sites would go away if this issue could be resolved.
Oh, yeah! All these "anti" sites don't give a whit about the POLITICS! Hell, no! They're just overwrought with concern over possible financial mismanagement! If THIS is your big gripe about FR, your site is utterly worthless! pssst! The Dept' of Education can't account for a few BILLION of our tax dollars but you're all in a dither about one little website not showing you the books. Incredible! I need a word worse than petty to describe how disproportionately irrelevent your concern is.
The lawsuit exists because you refused to quit posting full text documents. How can you admit otherwise? Your posts on this matter exist on the anti sites. Does Drudge do this? Other sites? I don't believe this constitutes "fair use," regardless of what you think.
Ah, now we get to a policy disagreement. Don't you think Jim has placed himself in enough jeopardy over this stance? He's standing by his belief. Let the courts decide if it's justified.
Ultimately, this lawsuit issue will shut down Free Republic. Already your "pro bono" lawyer has agreed to 1 million dollars regarding this. I'm not a lawyer, but have worked for some of the high powered ones. Upon questioning, they think you're wrong on this issue.
The other problem I have is with your original position regarding George W. Bush and his alleged involvement in the "coke running conspiracy." It appears that you've changed your views to stay with the main ideological and political flow of the FReepers. If Bush was such a criminal, then why vote for him? Honestly, your original views on a number of issues appear to be minor league Bircher. I can understand changing views, but to this extent?
Is this George 41's or George 43's conspiracy? Ronald Reagan was once a Democrat and a union head. Folks do change. A better question might be, in a time of war, when George 43 is our president, does it really matter what he may or may not have done over ten years ago? If there was solid proof, don't you think the media would have hit him full throttle with this back during the campaign instead of throwing out that silly DUI story? Sometimes smoke is just smoke.
In summation, all I ask for is the accounting tools. Nothing more, nothing less. Should you do so, I will pony up $500 over the next year, well within my financial means. All else is minor, and can be easily forgotten and forgiven for the cause. I would say failure to do so ultimately hurts the conservative cause in the sense that it gives our opponents such as Eschoir cause to whine and moan. And I'm not even that conservative. My views are well known here.
With all the fraud and waste in the world where people SHOULD be held accountable and aren't, this ranks very far down my list of concerns. FR *gives* away its product. It *asks* for donations. To start up a website to protest another site's use of funds is, in my mind, the height of idiocy. Is THAT all you've got? Are you SURE there's no deeper issue lurking underneath? If so, just say it and be done with it instead of hiding behind this little girl's whine about not letting you rummage through Jim's purse. Tell me you have something more valuable to do with your time than what you imply is your big concern. Else I could recommend a psychiatric visit or two for that $500 which is well within your means.
First you ask H. why she "hates" you, and then you blithely explain that you left up bogus posts because they satirized her "foul posting personality."
At least hers isn't split.
for shame! =o) lol
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