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
Yeah, the love-vibe, like your continually posting those "intoxicating" pictures of George W. Bush snorting coke? Give it a rest, man.
I donate on an auto monthly basis, and tripled my monthly payment during the last fund raiser. So my payment will have to stay the same! We are in the same ball park!
You posted, "this forum is a seat of power. do not underestimate it. it is a life form deserving of our respect, and that of others. thank you all for the intelligence, insight, wit, talent, foresight, comfort.
You are correct. It is a life form. I have called it the wonderful invention of Jim Robinson. Your descriptive term, life form is a far better description of what Free Republic is and does each day!
It is a life form composed of the various members. It grows in strength and power each day! It hammers the evil side in ways that they never dreamed of. They can no longer lie and hide the truth. We find out what they are doing and then drag them into the sun light for a little purification and a dose of the truth! Each day this life form wins small and medium victories and lays the ground work for bigger conservative victories!
I don't not want to think what this world would be like if not for the Free Republic Life Form since a year ago November. A little over one year ago the Gorons tried to steal an election and destroy this country. We helped to make sure that did not happen! Since then the Free Republic Life Form has won a lot of victories and set the stages for more!
Like all Life Forms, it must be cared for and nurtured! There is no free lunch even for Positve Life Forms like Free Republic!
I think the long haul is about over. If you should lose, what are your plans? How will you pay the million dollar judgment? Will you start another website?
lowbie - you are so sweet... thank you for the e-card!
LOL!!
See! Now I can go to sleep. I'm Batman, you know.
And all was well, Arator and Harry were back and somehow the war was going to turn out all right. If only our secret weapon of Ninja clad HRT gals was used our trouble would be over. Sadly the DOD refused that option. What's up with that?
......It usually means they have it bookmarked. Thus, the LOL.
Hope that helps!
Whatever works.
Stay well.
I have done that for the very reason, that I am not the "von Bismarck", hence the difference.
Thanks for everything.
L
I want you to read these two sentences that you put together on your last post to me, literally back to back.
"All I'm saying is that too many folks put too much trust in certain politicians, evidently not realizing that a politician is not a statesman. Even a good and decent man like Ron Paul who upholds his oath is vilified by some of these people who think Bush is the second coming."
Is Ron Paul NOT a politician?
I'm somehow less than you because your politician is better than my politician?
"Now I haven't been mean to you "
You used descriptive phrases to divide FReepers into two camps, you based it on political support. One set you called "free thinkers", and the other "monkeys with computers". According to you, by supporting Bush, I fall in the latter category.
Maybe you need to re-examine that whole "I didn't insult you" attitude.
Oak Hay my friend . . . henceforth you will receive a $20 Money Order from me each and every month, because keeping your FR website up and running is vitally important to this once-free Republic!!!
Besides, if I didn't send the $20 to you each month, I would surely blow the entire $20 on something incredably stupid . . . like food . . . or the rent !!!
However, there is a primary condition involved!!! . Which is to say, you must first answer the following question correctly in order to complete the deal:
Q: What has four legs and one arm???
(A: A very happy pit bull !!! )
P.S. To all you lovely lurking Virgins -- Thanks For Nothing !!! ;-))
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.