Its free by virtue of it being accessable for no cost. I can't step outside and read the news but I can walk to the corner library and read papers from around the country. For free.
And, I can discuss them with my friends. For free.
You see, if they didn't want their stories read with no exchange of cash, they wouldn't post them in such a way that poeple could read them that way.
FreeRepublic and sites like it are nothing but the extention of the library function. Its a non-profit site. It carries articles and allows anybody to read them for nothing. It allows its community members to comment on them. Tell me this; if libraries have been doing this for years and years, why isn't the LAT/WashPost sueing them?
Exactly what Investor's Business Daily did a couple of years ago. They used to post their excellent articles and editorials on their website, but no more.
I'm not sure why they killed that, because for a niche paper like they IBD, it must have been great publicity to have their stuff posted here on FR. IMO, their editorials are much better than those on the WSJ, especially lately.