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
NO and NO!
I'm just checking in this morning and finding this. It's sad that we have to argue this, but that is the nature of this site. We argue everything - and not always in a civilized way.
Jim, I'll do my part to contribute to the next fundraiser. And I sure as he!! hope everyone else does the same. I think the improvements made to this site in the last few months have been great - you and John can never be appreciated enough!
AND TO EVERYONE ELSE, Alot of people use this site for therapy - and therapy ain't always pretty - but it sure is expensive when left to professionals. During this weekend's fundraiser, let's all throw in the cost of our favorite alternative "coping method," whether it be a trip to the spa, a trip to the psychiatrist, or a trip to the liquor store!
Keep up the good fight Jim... My life would be meaningless and empty (well just about) if FR went away. I don't mean to get all handkerchief and sentimental on ya but this has been one of the most kick-a$$ things I ever got into, dude...
I don't have much $$ left over from beer and tobacco expenses but I'll see if I can get some paltry sum in the mail to ya...
DON'T CLOSE DOWN FREE REPUBLIC! I'M ON MY KNEES HERE! DON'T MAKE ME CRY!
Being sent up by you: Priceless.
No, I haven't been ignoring you. I've been in the Land of the Banned. I still read your posts though. I've read everything you've flagged me to.
Thanks for doing so,
Callahan
Yep...Eschoir's the epitome of the "girlee-man" and those who ally with him are well-advised not to drop the soap in the shower.
FReegards...MUD
Keep the Republic free, support Free Republic!
I'm saving up for the next FReepathon as we speak.
Please allow them back on the forum, Jim, and please tell the Moderator to use a blind eye when viewing my response to them.
I just purchased the new model of the Napalm Flame Thrower.
There's no place better to try it out than on those particular people.
The above pretty much sums it up. In the "early" days when it "only" cost a few thousand or so a month to keep it going? How many of us could afford "only" a few thousand a month? I make a damn' good living, and I can't!
I used to be a fairly regular donor to FR. I've never asked for, nor received any special treatment in return. Frankly, I don't even know if JimRob knows who contributes to FR. Every time I've encountered a difficulty on FR, I've asked JimRob for help and ever the gentleman that he is, he's extended that help. On the occasion or two that he couldn't help (or wouldn't for his own reasons) he explained why. No finer a person in my book and dammit the man has earned my respect and admiration.
So now that I've admitted my negligence in not giving to FR recently, where's that fundraiser thread? And while we're on the topic of Fundraiser threads, BadJoe, I'll contribute a day's worth of my time bumping threads, and keeping things moving along to help. It's not enough to simply give anymore, it's time to roll up the sleeves and help those who've been helping FR.
So Jim, as David Letterman said the other night about Osama Bin Laden, don't let the "soul-less assholes" get you down. Jealousy & Envy, thy names are Mojo & TKEman.
Let's Roll!
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