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
Let me get this straight -- if Jim Rob agrees to let ya stay, you're still taking off?
I'm also going to skip the part about copying and posting material found in other publications so that one can do the above.
These are two true problems that require serious legal counsel and judicial process to determine the fine line between rights and duties relative to free speech.
But if one is to believe that the internet, and any one corner of it that calls itself an opinion page, is a part of the "free marketplace of ideas," and that in that marketplace ideas "sell" on their merit or "die on the vine" due to demerit, one really doesn't have to worry about what's said.
That is, unless, one worries about what is said when one doesn't believe in what's said, doesn't trust others to not believe in what's said, or is trying to get others to believe in only certtain things that are said.
This free marketplace of ideas is a rough place to do business. It's kind of like other marketplaces in that regard. At the farmer's market, cheap vegetables are often sold when near spoiled. At flea markets, cheap goods are often damaged or "knock-offs" of the real thing. But no one bans the vendor for selling knock-offs. You're supposed to know you're at a flea market, not Tiffany's.
And in the "marketplace of ideas," the same thing happens. When one enters the world of internet-based information flow, especially on opinion-based forums, it's "buyer beware."
When the Freeper Forum lost faith in it's users to perform this basic function, to cull the "knock-offs," it started to go down-hill. It also began to smack of paternalism, treating the readers and opiners as "wards of the page."
I will say one thing, though. The recent paternal attitude on what's said has taught me why the "Republican revolution" fizzled and why Gingrich cowered in the face of the enemy. No ability to play with the big guys on domestic politics. Often this page shows the same fear of dealing face-to-face (keyboard-to-keyboard?) with the real hard-left crazies. Better and easier to ban them!
All the money in the world won't change this. If the Forum drifts into a more commercial direction, it will just confirm that the effort is no different than any other mainstream media enterprise. After all, don't we criticize them for only "preaching to the choir?"
Those who don't want to pay for it should realize that many others already ARE paying for it so that users like for-q-clinton can enjoy it at others' expense. If every registered member of FreeRepublic sent $1 a quarter, we'd have plenty of money. Because we have so many like for-q-clinton, the rest of us have to pay a lot more than $1 a quarter.
As it stands now, we are free to cut and paste from most sources and share their "property" as research.
Does this change your position?
That's right. Why go through the pain again? Do you realize how it feels to be banned without just cause? Do you realize what it's like to be lied about when you can't rebut the lie due to your banned status?
I'm done with it. But for the next couple of hours, I plan to stick around and see what plays out. I fully expect to get banned, so the pain will be non-exsistant.
Last time 'round, my banishment came as a surprise.
Cheers!
Callahan
Look, there isn't a soul here who doesn't believe in accountability. We understand the concept; many of us are businessmen and businesswomen of many, many years. Now, I'd be the first to agree with your point if I saw non-stop fundraising threads.....raising many tens of thousands of dollars at a pop.........and JimRob was suddenly being tooled around town in a $70K custom van and JohnRob was dashing about in the latest Mercedes convertible, racing to his massage, followed by a golf game at the toniest golf course in the region. For that matter, even if after the fundraisers, we saw little to no improvement of FR's performance as a site, no improvements in John's code, etc.; IOW, no evidence that the funds were being used to keep the site up, running, and humming along smoothly, then I'd say you may have a valid point. However, even then, the only alternative would be to..............quit donating. It would be that simple.
But that just isn't the case, my friend.
We can delve into the Inaugural Ball, if you wish. I know for a fact that it lost a fortune due to various reasons, including undercharging of attendees. Sure as hell no one got rich off of that one.
So.........tell me. This isn't about posting a chart of accounts or a balance sheet. I just don't believe that. What exactly is it about? Are you suggesting that if Jim decided to post his finances on this board for all to see that the "AF'ers" would be silenced? Sorry, my friend; that may be a well-meaning thought, but it's also hopelessly naive. The "AF'ers" tend to share a few things in common: they tend to be generally on the acerbic side (I'm being generous there), they all seem to feel that they.........individually, not the collective "they"..........should somehow, some way, for some reason be "leaders of the movement" and are frustrated as all hell that they aren't...and lastly, they're consumed with bitterness for being banned for one reason or another.
I've studied 'em enough to know that the above is a true and accurate assessment. They are not a group who, with hand over heart, decided to expose the "Great JimRob FR Fundraising Scam for the Good of the Country, by God!!!" Nothing of the sort.
I'll shut up now and await your response.
Now how do I contribute from overseas?
I can't afford a lot, but I'll pay what I can
I suggest that we start looking for corporate and individual sponsors who can afford to help more than most of US, AND who agree that FREE INTERPRISE {as opposed to "free" market} is the ONLY true road to FREEDOM!!!!, and will attach no strings to their contributions. Peace and love, George.
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Far too many people believe they are getting something for free. Ultimately, if the asset they are using is not paid for by the users, it is paid for by someone else. Those doing the paying will have an agenda. It may or may not be the agenda you want. It may not be the agenda you believe you are getting.
I contribute $10 per month now out of a very meager income. In addition I have contributed additional sums when Jim (backed up by others whom I trust) have called for it. To foolishly think I shoud have the services free is silly. I recommend that we push hard to get at least 3000 members to contribute $10 per month by credit card or check. Larger contributions can be made if one wishes to support even greater programs.
If that does not work, Jim will have only three choices - close down - sell to someone with their agenda - reduce services and charge per month anyway.
Some on this thread have offered to buy the business from Jim. Why? They have a vision they think it can be made into a moneymaker. Why else would anyone give the time and effort that Jim has done unless he had a real mission. This is not a money making prospect. And it never will be.
I vote for keeping Free Republic and helping Jim fund the endeavor. If it goes any other way I shall drop out because it will be a dead option.
I'm sorry that ANYONE would make such an accusation. God Bless the entire Robinson family for FR. Our country is a better place because of you! You're done for the Internet what Limbaugh did for talk radio.
Well, that's a shame. I'd like it if you stuck around.
Here's the short version...
I was banned without just cause. The man with the "button" said later of my banishment, "Inspector Callahan [was] banned because [he] would not stop insulting people, even after repeated warnings and suspensions..."
That was, to put it mildly, a vacation from the facts. My problem with FR? Hmmm... That's one of 'em!
Cheers!
Callahan Banned
No, it doesn't. The only requirement is that you register.
There is one. It's operated by other people who have pledged to donate the profits, or a portion of the profit, to FR. Perhaps someone will post a link. A link usually shows up on the fund raiser threads.
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