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
harrowup, I know. It's just inviting response. But he has been SAYING he's not going to stay here for about four days now. He was ASKED to leave and keeps coming back. Go figure.
Charming, huh?
Btw: it's too bad that Horowitz wasn't able to cruise with ya'll. He might've been willing to fill you guys (except for IronJack) in on how the antifreepers came onto some threads a long time ago, trashed him (Horowitz), and then emailed him the hit-pieces saying "See?? Freepers hate your guts, Mr. Horowitz!"......(and to his credit, Horowitz didn't run away crying, Justin Raimondo notwithstanding).
That said, I have seen the 'other side'........so it isn't right to paint him with just one big brush stroke. :)
Iron Jack.....just flagging cause your name's being bandied around....could care less if it changes your opinion of me.
That said, I have seen the 'other side'........so it isn't right to paint him with just one big brush stroke. :)
Iron Jack.....just flagging cause your name's being bandied around....could care less if it changes your opinion of me.
No, you are the "head" moderator, as I understand it.
The depths to which this thread has sunk is making my ears pop.
Actually, I've been in touch with Mr. Raimondo on several occasions, and have developed quite a respect for him. I also admire and speak intermittently with David Horowitz. Horowitz isn't stupid, and I think he knows how to street fight with the best. The AFs are way, way out of their league if they're trying to bluster him.
Of course, the AFs are out of their league trying to steal Girl Scout cookies.
As a result of antifreeper's actions, Horowitz visited Free Republic in a Town Hall format, so their plan backfired, as you probably know. Justin made several appearances there, and it was interesting to view the give and take between the two old adversaries.
ps: "head" moderator?? toast hole?? tsk.tsk. You'd best not let harrowup see that. He's got an itchy trigger finger.
Agreed...thankfully it's slowing down now so perhaps we can get back to our real lives. My husband hasn't seen me so glued to the computer this much since we've been married. I think it's starting to frighten him...LOL
At the risk of seeming immodest, Horowitz visited Free Republic's Town Hall in March of 2000 as a result of MY actions. The AFs had nothing to do with it. I contacted Horowitz, arranged the Town Hall, and moderated it.[end brag]
Justin is an articulate, even-tempered gentleman on this forum, even when he draws some of the vilest attacks of any "outsider." His views are always welcome, as far as I'm concerned, even if they're sure to draw fire. From what I've seen, he can take it.
Yep. Why do I feel like a British grenadier after an attack by the Zulus? Time to police the brass and tend to the wounded, then hunker down and wait for another wave. I'll stand the first watch ...
Go tell that to the abuse-button crybabies. I've never used it in the two years I've been here. I wish JR would put up an abuse-button statistics page so we can see who the top 100 abuse-button users are. Then you could go tell them to grow thicker skin.
You boys are so civil when you call GOPer's names like statist, socialist, and anti-liberty dolts...
What would you call them? Friends of Liberty? Defenders of Freedom? The party of smaller government? Either you haven't been keeping up with current events or you're living in denial.
you are SO REASONABLE when you guys say that we live in a police state...
Ashcroft: "We'll watch religious groups."
...and Ashcroft is akin to the anti-Christ...
I'm sure he will only monitor "bad" religious groups. It will be kind of like how the WOD only affects drug users and how gun control only affects criminals.
...it is good you and your friends are still here....we do have our food fights, but we do NOT lower ourselves to the level of liberals who tell out right lies about those with whom they disagree.
I remember when FR was the Internet stronghold of liberty and limited government. If I was you I'd be worried.
No mattah. They always do. Ciao, kitten. I'll catch you another day in Hysterical-i-forn-aye-ay. I'm off for some "cultivation"-heavy emphasis on 'cult' (wink-wink, afers).
Oh REALLY? Telling someone to take their meds etc. ad nauseum, is his way of showing how impressed he is with conservative wimmin? I treat conservative wimmin with real respect. Why is it he assumes anyone that doesn't agree with him is on meds? He's the one that sounds a little toked up to me.
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