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Is Free Republic a Fraud? Is it time for Free Republic to go away?
Free Republic | 11/28/01 | Jim Robinson

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


TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Announcements; Breaking News
KEYWORDS: bushbabeslist; enviralists; hughhewitt; jimroblist; opuslist; usocanteen; zionist
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Comment #1,861 Removed by Moderator

To: Arator
That thread was posted later in the afternoon AFTER my announcement that HOWLINFR was a fake, AFTER my suspension of the fake Howlin's posting privileges, AFTER my publicly stated inclination to let her posts stand as parody

Then why did you post this:

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? I look forward to hearing opinions, arguments, and evidences on this question from all concerned. So, let the debate continue!

That doesn't look like an annoucement; it looks like you left the floor open for discussion. Maybe to get them off your back -- again?

1,862 posted on 11/29/2001 3:40:46 PM PST by Howlin
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Comment #1,863 Removed by Moderator

To: Jim Robinson
Jim,

It's time for all of us to put up or shut up. A usage fee seems in order here if the contributions don't come up to snuff.

It's amazing how far we've come since the $Prodigy whitewater board! You, as well as this site are in my prayers...more pizza money on the way...

JD

1,864 posted on 11/29/2001 3:41:33 PM PST by JDoutrider
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Comment #1,865 Removed by Moderator

To: WIMom
"Welcome to Free Republic, I see today is your very first day!"

***G***

You GO, Mom!

Have a great evening!

1,866 posted on 11/29/2001 3:42:11 PM PST by dansangel
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To: Equal_Protection_My_Ass
Progressives seek to move us forward...

Onward, to Socialism, eh? Be careful what you wish for...it won't be pretty, and you will not win.

1,867 posted on 11/29/2001 3:43:08 PM PST by gundog
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To: Equal_Protection_My_Ass
And your intellectual ancestors killed 20 million in Russia and tens of millions more in China/Vietnam/Cambodia. Progressives aren't (progressive that is), just naive.
1,868 posted on 11/29/2001 3:43:11 PM PST by twntaipan
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Comment #1,869 Removed by Moderator

To: Equal_Protection_My_Ass
The "ancestors" of Progressives worshipped Communism, but the world woke up, and it is slowly fading into history.

The "descendants" of Progressives will fight against the racist evil of affirmative action, as many already are...

1,870 posted on 11/29/2001 3:45:18 PM PST by Senator Pardek
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To: Arator
"Arator likes Mojo because Mojo can be counted on to quote every anti-semitic publication on the internet with every gory detail. Mojo is of course a closet anti-semite (the worst kind) who pretends to be tolerant. Arator is not an anti-semite; Arator is just stupid.

For definitive proof of harrowup's insanity, one need only look to this, his latest nonsensical rant. I rest my case.

Sorry...not insane...right on target...you're the biggest sickest preener since navagasburger stunk up the joint with his ignorant abuse of the libertarians.

Neither you, nor Nick, nor nom, nor the maggot will ever attract more than a pitiful and pathetic honey wagon load of lackeys, pimps, whores and toads who are simply having a temper tantrum because you pissed in the sandbox and 99% of us had the good sense to applaud your dismissal while throwing your feces out with you...now you make certain you tell your buddy mochajokeass that I don't know where feces come from cause I said you pissed in the sandbox...

...y'all both remember that most of us think your kind, in all likely hood, were aborted and your ability to discharge waste has never caught up with your smart mouth and ugly disposition.

I don't care if you are Mullah Omar's grandson married to Golda Meir's great grandaughter and practice with the Wiccans except on Sunday when you visit your father in the Baptist Home for the Criminally Insane...you are a flaming racist, bigot and lying piece of detritus only fit to associate with the likes of the maggot and mochajoke. Give one...just one [pre-edit]ing reason why you have the gall to come prancing in here and telling the host that you don't like his establishment and insist on being a bouncer if the host surrenders to your sickness.

1,871 posted on 11/29/2001 3:45:55 PM PST by harrowup
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Comment #1,872 Removed by Moderator

To: Equal_Protection_My_Ass
Dang! I like you! You're funny!
1,873 posted on 11/29/2001 3:47:45 PM PST by uglybiker
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Comment #1,874 Removed by Moderator

Comment #1,875 Removed by Moderator

Comment #1,876 Removed by Moderator

To: A Navy Vet
Do you ever read the words you write? You seem like an intelligent person, so why such hyperbolic nonsense about an Internet site that wouldn't allow you to post?

Why paint with shades of gray when one can paint with vivid vibrant color?

1,877 posted on 11/29/2001 3:50:37 PM PST by Arator
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To: Equal_Protection_My_Ass
Nice screen name

ROLF!!!

PS: are you gay?

1,878 posted on 11/29/2001 3:51:40 PM PST by Gasshog
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To: Equal_Protection_My_Ass
but I suspect another group will be singled out for persecution by then. You get the picture. Throughout our nation's history, we have progressed past things like racial discrimination, and will do the same with discrimination against gays, eventually. Progressives seek to move us forward, unfortuneately slowed by conservatives.

What I believe you really want is attention.

Many people, the vast, vast majority, do not persecute gays, even though they may strongly disagree with their lifesytle. What makes the matter so much more problematic is that many of the gay activists not only want gays to be accepted, but to be experienced, if you will, by the mainstream of Western civilization. One need only look at the Boy Scouts and their freedom to associate and how that freedom has been attempted to be usurped by gays rights groups.

Is there any substance to the gay rights groups, other than that they support gays? What else makes up their psyche, their conscience? Why must some of the first themes out of some gays be "I'm gay"? I find that patently offensive, just as I would of a person who came up to me and said "I'm straight". I just fail to see how one's sexuality seems to be the *basis* for conversations, often with work acquaintences or even strangers.

The gay movement is not content with working and living in Western societies. Many want to make society as a whole face head on *their* (gays) sexuality, and I wonder if that is because some gays are uncomfortable with who *they* are, so to speak.

Please, grow up and live your life with more breadth.

1,879 posted on 11/29/2001 3:51:46 PM PST by Fury
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To: Equal_Protection_My_Ass
Hold it...which one are you? Arator or Arator? I blinked and didn't see which hand you typed that with.
1,880 posted on 11/29/2001 3:52:21 PM PST by PeaceBeWithYou
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