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
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.
Two years ago I did 2 things that have helped me get through the past 24 months:
1) convert from Lutheranism to Pentecostalism
and
2) become a regular visitor to Free Republic.
Keep up the good work, Jim.
In Him, foreverfree
Mr. Robinson:
I cherish the good people here and pity the spoilers.
1. You are not a fraud.
2. You are not thief.
3. You have not misappropriated copyrighted material.
4. You and your son have given all the details you need to.
5. You and your son have no further need to humor the ingrates.
6. The sick sons-of-bitches just wanted your audience.
7. Their arrogant personalities sicken their own crowd.
8. It is well past time to stop feeding the vultures.
9. Shoot them. A metaphor, afholes; look it up.
Sure you can! The "retro" is because I seem to gravitate towards things that were probably more the style in my grandparents day then today. (For as long as I can remember I always wanted Fiestaware and those multi-colored aluminum tumblers for my kitchen.) I collect black cat things and "kitten" was a term for girls, as in, "Hey all you cats and kittens!". Plus, it seemed more interesting then "retrogirl".
Harry, I don't believe in banning anyone, and thanks, in part, to your banning this thread has developed, but . .
You are losing it just a wee bit more than usual.
That's one small step for incomprehension, hence one great step for the IHC persona.
Who needs Rivero? ***WALMART***! Let it loose!
America is a stronger republic and thus the world is a better place because of the forum you provide. You and the intelligent posters @ FreeRepublic are great teachers.
Sanctus semper veritas est.
Why does a battered wife return to the arms of a husband who'll just beat on her all over again?
Because she loves the fool despite all his faults, that's why.
OK, now I really DO need to get a grip. LOL.
Which one can deduce that if Arator cannot do whatever comes to mind on FR, that now Arator's freedom is being infringed.
FR is a private spot, and Avator's freedom does not come at the expense of others. It's about attention and wanting more and more of it. Why else would someone come back to a place they find objection to?
*ROLLING MY EYES*
That sound you hear is YOUR point going right over HIS head.
I am really not self-absorbed at all. If I seem that way, it's only because so many seem to be absorbed with me.
ROFLMAO.
Ditto, what gives? You and Insp Harry want to be banned so you can be heroes over at DU?
Hang tough, Fury.
But, fate cast me as the titular leader of the Paleo-cons on FR
I suppose that someone who has such a distaste for FR would come to some of the conclusions they have this evening. Why one would not just free themselves of the anger and dissapointment that FR has caused them is beyond me.
This is so much about control and attention and not about the issues of this nation, for some of the folks that were invited back to FR.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not like in the old days, when FR was enriched by your pertinent, perky, pointful contributions! How I waited for them!
THIS . . IS . . FREEPER HEAVEN!!!!!!
Bring 'em ALL back!
TRACEY12, COME TO ME!!!!
I'm a member but I don't post much. Hope you join up!
Callahan
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