I know it's been mentioned before, but it may be time to think seriously about having a "membership fee" in order to post. I think I read that if every member only gave $1/month, (one small dollar) it would be enough to keep FR up and running. $1/month - that's so meager, it's ridiculous to think that there are those who wouldn't be willing to do their small part in order to keep this forum. I also know how hard MANY, MANY FReepers work during the quarterly fundraisers, and how MUCH of the financial load a few carry.
Please, let's all pull together and keep FR online.
How about this; Free to look and read, but a buck a month for posting and other privileges.
My contrib's enroute.
Ever thanks, Jim & JohnRob!
I've been thinking about this all day, Billie, and I agree that some kind of regular fee might be the key to solving the financial problems without strapping individuals with in inordinate amount of work.
I certainly am willing to pay more than $1/month for this incredible experience, and I would hope that everyone else is too.
Absolutely agree with Bille that now is the time for all good FREEPERS to come together to keep our FREE REPUBLIC up & running......whatever it takes.....we must all make a contribution.....monthly or quarterly....whatever it takes to continue FR!
Jim, you just let us know what we can do. Thank you again.
Jim, you are a patriot. Patriots take the bad with the good and continue battling through the many storms to the goal. They muster the troops, encourage them, and plod on through their own feelings of inevitable doubt. We have a powerful weapon with FR. The troops are many, the troops are ready, willing, and able. The troops are ready to muster, whether that means assembling at the next site of Infinite FReep, or mustering the financial needs of FR.
FR thrives on the computers connected to the Internet. Computers rely on strict logic to operate correctly. So do conservatives. Computers, Logic and Conservatism go together like Nonsense, Lying and Liberalism.
The biggest fear liberals have is the Internet. Last year the Internet allowed conservatives to maintain strong communication links, and almost singlehandedly kept Gore from stealing the election. Have you noticed how all liberal whacko sites on the Internet have to maintain gatekeepers to screen out conservatives if they expect to keep it a liberal site? Even so, they all only have a sprinkling of liberals who visit the site anyway.
FR on the other hand, allows actual freedom to communicate without gatekeeper reviewing each post before it is "permitted" to be posted. If the liberals behave themselves, they are allowed a free voice here to debate (MurryMom comes to mind here).
The Internet is so feared by liberals that two big U.S. newpapers had to sue freerepublic.com in order to keep their whacko liberalism agenda from being analyzed and criticized by members of FR. They sought government intervention and protection because even they realized that their words were not holding up under such logical scrutiny.
FR is the best stronghold of conservative grass roots power today. We are strong in our small but determined force. We will not let this ship sink as long as you are still the captain. Don't let the bastards get you down.