As another "old-timer", I echo everything you say. Free Republic is a treasure and I can't imagine the Internet without it. In fact, sometimes I forget that there is an "Internet" out there, being that I spend so much of my time here! I get the impression sometimes that all these other websites exist for us to link to and steal cool pictures from.
I have been a monthly contributer practically since the monthly program started. Never had a problem with it. It happens automatically and I don't even think about it. I think the $3 a month pitch is an excellent idea. Who's going to miss $3 a month? Yet if everybody signed up for that small amount, there would be no need for quarterly fundraisers here at all.
Anyway, I hope some of you will consider the monthly donation program with your debit card. It's painless and easy.
Sam, you were one of us at the start. We all had to register in a matter of a month or so, after posting for months. We're all within a couple weeks of each other--and I think you were on the early threads before I.