Monday, January 19, 2009

College Football Tickets - a Brief History

College football is just nothing else but American football played by teams fielded by the American colleges. These include teams from American universities, as well as from military academies. College football is very popular among college students, and it is through the American colleges that American Football has gained the stature it has today. College football developed from Rugby, a form of football played in England. Rugby reached North America through the British soldiers stationed in Canada, and became very popular in Canadian colleges.

The first game of 'football' played between two American college teams - Rutgers College and the College of New Jersey - was not a form of Rugby but more akin to soccer. This game, which Rutgers won 6-4, was played at College Field in New Brunswick, New Jersey, on November 6, 1869. Rutgers College is now the Rutgers University; College of New Jersey is now the Princeton University; and College Field is where, today, the College Avenue Gymnasium of the Rutgers University stands.

The first 'rugby-style' game of college football in the United States took place in 1875, between teams from Harvard and Yale. The credit of fashioning the game of American Football from rugby, by 1892, goes to the one time captain of the Yale football team – Walter Chauncey Camp. The most significant person in the history of American football, Camp has rightly been called the 'Father of American Football.'

Camp pioneered the modern elements of scoring – at least most of them, the eleven man team, the traditional seven man line of offensive setup, the four man backfield, and the play from scrimmage. The college football became increasingly popular, and also more violent. After a series of player deaths in the collegiate games, Present Roosevelt, in 1906, threatened to ban the sport.

This caused the formation of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which formulated rules to govern the game. It was during these days that college football was the predominant way to American football. College football was where style of play and strategy innovations were made and then passed on gradually to the professional arena.

College football remains very popular, despite the rise and popularity of professional football in America. It is more popular in rural areas, and in the south, due to the lack of professional teams there. College football is very popular in places, such as Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, among others.

The Tickets

College football teams have as large a fan following as do the professional football teams, and their games draw more number of spectators than do the professional teams.

College football tickets are in great demand, and may not be easy to procure. You can safely forget to procure them from the venues of the games – they would be sold out. Your best alternative option - those ticket brokers. Legitimate and professional ticket brokers, such as have a successful history of helping you arrange college football tickets for the games of your choice.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

College Or Pros, What Pays For Young Baseball Players?

If your son is a professional baseball prospect, you might want to know what makes more sense for him: continue playing at the collegiate level, or turn pro right away. The price where it pays to go pro might surprise you.

Of the four major U.S. sports, only baseball and basketball draft high school and college players together. However, the basketball draft lasts only two rounds and includes players from overseas professional leagues, while baseball provides far more opportunities. The Amateur Baseball Draft lasts ten rounds and includes only high school and college players.

While baseball offers immediate professional opportunities to high school graduates, a minor leaguer ballplayer usually needs three or four years of seasoning to be ready for the major league roster. A player who signs a contract in 2007 and immediately reported to a Rookie League or Class A team should be on the major league roster on or before the 2010 season.

First year salaries for a minor league ballplayer range from $850 a month for the first contract season to $2,150 when the player reaches Triple-A, one level below the major leagues. Given the low salaries, the decision to skip college has to depend on the player's signing bonus and the quality of the college programs that are offering scholarships. It might not pay for a ballplayer to pass on a top college program if the academics are strong enough to help them with life after baseball.

What is a good guideline for a signing bonus for a high school baseball player?

My rule of thumb is that the signing bonus should equal or exceed the projected cost of four years of college plus the major league minimum salary. This assumes the player would remain in college through his senior year-although it is common for baseball players to drop out without completing their degree. At worst, if the player does not make the major leagues, he should have the opportunity to save enough money to pay for college while he toils in the minors.

Following this rule of thumb, a high school player would need to receive a minimum signing bonus of $600,000.

The $600,000 minimum is based on:

• The combined costs: tuition, fees, room and board and essentials at a top private university and traditional baseball powerhouses such as Stanford, the University of Miami, or the University of Southern California approached $45,000. It is quite likely that these costs will approach, if not surpass, $200,000 to complete a bachelor's degree.

• A 2010 major league minimum salary of $400,000, as stipulated in the most recent agreement between the Major League Baseball Players Association and the owners of the all 30 Major League Baseball teams. The 2011 league minimum is not known at this time; it is tied to a future cost of living increase.

How many players chosen in the 2006 Amateur Draft earned the recommended minimum signing bonus of $600,000?

Only the top 60 players received a signing bonus of $600,000 or more. Only 27 were high school players, the rest were college prospects.

What about the ballplayer who has finished some of his college education or completed his degree?

A college player's signing bonus should, as a minimum, cover the remaining costs of his college education, plus the wages he might have earned by using his degree, but not playing baseball.

The player with a community college degree has already invested in his education; he can use his community college degree to find work, continue his education at a four-year college, or turn pro. The community college graduate might need as much as $100,000 to complete a four-year degree at a private college. His entry-level salary, after completing his bachelor's degree, might range from $35,000 to $55,000 depending on grades and course of study, and, this player might still need three to four years of seasoning in the minor leagues.

This player would need a signing bonus in excess of $180,000, but he has a chance of getting a larger bonus if he stays in school and performs well the next season.

The scholarship player who completed his degree can play ball, or use his education to do something else. Like other prospects, he may need some seasoning in the minors--and his salary after three or four years of non-baseball employment could approach, maybe exceed $50,000, almost the same as tuition and expenses for college. His bonus should also be in excess of $180,000.

How many college draftees earned the recommended minimum signing bonus of $180,000?

There were 150 prospects who received a signing bonus of $180,000, or more, with the lowest ranked player selected at the top of the fifth round of the draft.

What is the major tradeoff?

The top high school baseball prospect must consider the risk of postponing college against his chances of making a major league roster within four years. It is quite difficult for a professional baseball player to attend college in the off-season because of travel and seasons that overlap into the fall and spring semesters. Top prospects are also encouraged to play winter ball; that also overlaps into study time.

However, the number of high school players who can command the big bonuses that make it pay to go pro is an elite few-and that number fluctuates from year to year because it is based on the annual level of talent in the pool of draft-eligible players.

The top college prospect must consider the opportunities to complete his education and increase his signing bonus after each season of amateur competition. The college prospect will have a degree, but he will be off to a later start in his professional career, especially if he needs seasoning in the minor leagues. However, the college graduate has more options for life after baseball.

Unless the player becomes an established major league star, it would be better for him to build a post-baseball life off a college degree than return home to lament glory days.

Useful Information and Advice College Financing Programs Recommend for you

College education is one necessity in life anyone desires to have. It is for sure that the higher you get with college education the better the job you will get in future, the higher you get paid and the more comfy your life becomes. But nothing good comes easily! College Education is becoming so expensive and many are on the look out for extra finances just to meet this need.Did you know that this can easily be solved by getting enough information and advice on College Financing Programs? Well let me just make it clear for you. College Financing Programs give you, as college student, clear and detailed information on financing your college education. Do not go blindly into any kind of college financing without a clear mind on what it entails. You need to know that this information is available for you and there are so many government and private college financial institutions that offer the information.

You need a good plan for this so that even before going to the college of your choice you will smartly decide who should be your college financier basing on the requirements of that college. Your school advisor this time round is a key person you should consider talking to about college financing. He should explain in details on how college financing will help you go through the college life and just how it can affect you and your family while in college and after you are done with it.

Just like always, you will find so many documentations to read and agree with, sign and apply and all this may lead to so much confusion in your mind. But many institutions offering college financing are a bit organized and just by following their guidelines, you will get there, believe me! For instance, the federal government has good quality online information that with many defined links connecting to the ideal application forms to the college financing. In the college financing guide you will also learn of the available student loan programs, estimate the cost for college education; get info about the effects of defaulted loans and even funding alternatives.

Once you have made up your mind that you need a college financier the links to these college financing websites will help you find the best and a step by step approved application process that will leave you smiling for achieving something.

And Just before I forget! let me give you my last word, that undeniably, university and college education is proving quite expensive these days, and for sure we all want to go through this education just to achieve more for the sake of our future and the generations to come. We are left with no choice but to comply with this changing and devastating stipulation. Well what do we do? Let's get positive and learn more about how we can finance this education however expensive it is. So get this college financing information yourself and let it stick in your mind so that when you go to look for the financiers you will have a concrete idea on what you expect and a better choice of college too.

Poly Muthumbi is a Web Administrator and Has Been Researching and Reporting on Student Loan Consolidation for Years. For More Information on College Financing, Visit Her Site at COLLEGE FINANCING

Friday, January 16, 2009

Retirement Vs. College Savings: Overcoming the Funding Conundrum

Life is a constant juggling act. Every day we juggle tasks, time, people and goals. This is especially true when it comes to balancing financial goals, whereby time is not the scarce resource, but money is. The future can seem especially daunting for young families balancing retirement funding goals and college planning for their children. When a dollar can only stretch so far, how can you effectively plan for both?

Advanced education is vital, but it comes at a cost. Short of saving for retirement or buying your dream home, no other expense has that great an impact on the family finances. College costs increase at about twice the inflation rate. Current increases have averaged 5% to 8%. In fact, it is estimated that by 2020, a four year college education could be as much as $287,000 at a private institution and $133,000 at a public one, based on College Board estimates. Ouch. But, are you really prepared to sacrifice your own financial security during retirement for your child's education?

As expensive as it is to send junior to college, retirement is even costlier. Sadly, nearly half of American households are not saving at all; and two thirds are not saving enough to retire adequately. Couple that challenge with a desire to fund your child's education and you may have a serious economic dilemma on your hands.

Paying for School

College expenses are traditionally paid from one of several sources: parent's current income, financial aid/scholarships/grants, and parent's personal savings. Over the past several years, however, a proliferation of college
savings programs have been introduced including prepaid tuition programs, including:

Coverdell Education Savings Accounts. Formerly called Education IRAs, a Coverdell ESA allows you to put $2,000 away each year per child (if eligible), and you can usually invest the money however you like. Distributions
are tax-free when used for qualified elementary and secondary education, as well as qualified college education
expenses.

Prepaid Tuition Programs. Prepaid tuition plans are college savings plans that are guaranteed to increase in value at the same rate as college tuition. The main benefit of these plans is that they allow a student's parents to
lock in tuition at current rates. While the state plans vary, if the student attends an in-state public college, the plan
pays the tuition and required fees. If the student decides to attend a private or out-of-state college, the plans
typically pay the average of in-state public college tuition.

529 college savings plans. These plans are a popular choice because they offer the account owner control and flexibility, combined with special income tax and estate benefits. Section 529 college savings plans are tax-
exempt college savings vehicles with a low impact on need-based financial aid eligibility. Unlike prepaid tuition plans, there is no lock on tuition rates and no guarantee. Investments are subject to market conditions, and the
savings may not be sufficient to cover all college costs. However, with this added risk comes to opportunity for potentially earning greater returns.

Today, there are many choices available for parents, but the most important consideration in planning for college or retirement is to start saving as early as possible. The earlier you start to save, the lower the regular contributions will have to be. It's never too late, or too early to start.

Set Priorities

It's not easy to be a disciplined saver, but there is no way to survive this funding conundrum without it. In an age where instant gratification is a way of life, it's tempting to spend today and worry tomorrow. Spend less and save more, while unpopular advice, is necessary advice. The alternative will get you nowhere. So, setting and maintaining a budget will
be critical to your success. It's nice to spoil our children, but do they really need fifty-seven Xbox games in their collection? Is that trip to Disney really necessary every year? Sacrifice today will help assure a better future tomorrow.

Get the Kids Involved

Parents should be straightforward with their children about how much they will be able to afford. If the child wants to go to a "name-brand" school that costs $35,000 a year, but the parents can only afford $15,000 a year, the student can take part in the choice to find alternative financing or go to the more cost effective school. Remind them that if mommy and
daddy don't have enough money in retirement, because they spent all their money on college funding, they should get used to the idea of having them as roommates to support when they're all grown up. So, run the numbers together to see which universities your family can afford. Compare the costs of attending public vs. private institutions and consider the possibilities for financial aid.

The federal government has made it possible for virtually anyone to attend college, despite cost and despite parent's income. Student loans and parent loans are readily available at low interest rates and payments are often deferred until the student graduates (for most full time students). Too many families incorrectly assume that they won't qualify because they feel they are too wealthy, but this is not the case. The application process may be somewhat cumbersome, but the benefits far outweigh the (time) costs.

The best financial aid, of course, is free money. Much of the student financial aid comes in the form of loans, but there are grants and scholarships readily available for that patient enough to search for them, and qualify for them.Check out The College Board for more information about college costs, scholarship search strategies and financial aid.

Working While Studying

Parents who wish to only partially subsidize education for their kids (or not fund it at all) have a number of alternatives.Students can apply for loans, work-study or (gasp) get a job. Asking a college student to work and/or take out loans may not seem attractive now (especially for the student). But, there is something to be said about a child that works his way through school. They're often hungrier, eager and motivated to succeed. Those traits can take you far in life. In fact, some of the best and brightest professionals have managed to do well in school while also managing a job, present
company included. After all, the kids can get student loans to fund education, but when is the last time you heard of retirees taking loans to fund their retirement?

Consider a Whole-Portfolio Approach to Investing

Don't want to bother compartmentalizing your "pots of money"? No problem. Many of my clients have opted for a more holistic planning approach. A whole-portfolio approach takes into account all of your taxable and tax favored investment accounts. With this approach, you can always earmark certain buckets of your portfolio for certain things. But putting it all
together in one portfolio provides a big-picture view of your overall asset allocation. That way you can manage your total portfolio risk at any given time.

This approach allows you to incorporate your various goals, including college and retirement, into the big picture as you plan for future spending needs. You may find that the financial pie is actually big enough for both, or you may need to adjust one goal or another.

Closing

So, which one is it—college or retirement? Ideally, you don't want to sacrifice one goal for the other. Try to balance the two so you don't shortchange your future or your children's in the process. The decision to put your child's education before your own retirement is not only an economic decision, but also, an emotional one. Parents feel a sense of obligation to provide a better way of life for their kids, but if they plan carefully, they won't have to risk their own well being in order to accomplish this.

The consequences of funding education before funding retirement may lead to inadequate retirement funds or prolonging your work years. The choice is yours, so choose wisely.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Top Academic and Admission Strategies for Colleges

Copyright (c) 2008 Karen Bolton

With the rising cost of college, it is important to utilize as many cost cutting strategies as possible. Let's explore some top academic and admission strategies to help reduce the cost of college.

1.Career Planning

Career planning is often overlooked during the college planning process. However, this is one of the most important decisions that students will make. Without proper career planning, many students take 5-6 years to complete a degree. Many students receive degrees in declining growth fields or fields with a surplus of applicants and cannot find employment after graduation.

However, this can play a critical role in reducing the overall cost of college. A contributing factor in the college dropout and transfer rates is a lack of career planning and a failure to make college decisions based on career goals. Research by the US Dept of Education and American College Testing show that each year, approximately 50% of college freshman leave the college in which they first enrolled. Of the dropouts, about 30% transfer to other colleges at least once, and 20% transfer twice and typically take 6 or more years to complete a 4-year program.

Students who receive career planning prior to college selection and attendance have few major changes and college transfers, graduate on time, and tend to be more goal- and academic-focused. You may want to check out web-based career planning services at www.careerdimension.com and www.myroad.com.

2. Use Smart Admission Strategies

Apply where the student is academically above the incoming freshman class profile. Private colleges place a premium on good students and will often use tuition discounts to attract them to their campuses.

Apply for admission early. The student should submit an application to the college as soon as possible in the senior year of high school (September through December). After a college begins to fill the upcoming year's freshman class, the need for the college to offer a tuition discount diminishes. Colleges need to complete their enrollment quotas as early as possible, so they often offer scholarships (tuition discounts) to the students who apply early (even students who do not qualify for need-based aid).

Apply to schools that have a low enrollment yield factor. The lower a college's enrollment yield (yield percentage), the higher the probability of the student receiving tuition discounts. The enrollment yield is calculated by dividing the number of students enrolled by the number of students admitted. Enrollment is key to a college's survival. Many colleges select students for admission to their school, only to have them enroll in another school. The colleges have a constant battle to fill seats every year (lesser-known private colleges are even more challenged because they must compete with the low cost of public universities and the popularity of the elite private schools).

The student should also apply to private colleges. Many private colleges have declining enrollments due to their high cost and competition from low-cost universities and popular elite private colleges. These colleges often give a tuition discount to students to fill empty seats at the college. Private colleges must compete with less-expensive, state-subsidized public universities.

Many private colleges offer incredible financial award packages to attract good students. Plus they offer smaller class sizes, which increase the student's chance of attaining a degree in four years. Be sure to include a few private colleges in your selection process. You might be surprised with the outcome.

The student should apply to six to eight colleges. Do not limit your ability to negotiate the price of college. Apply to several colleges to maximize your financial opportunities. By applying to several colleges, the student is given the opportunity to receive a tuition discount from one college and use that discount to ask for a comparative discount, or better, from the college the student prefers to attend. Try to pick at least several schools where your child lies in the top 25% of the incoming freshman class. This strategy is more applicable to students attending private colleges.

If the student is planning to attend a private college, the student should create competition between colleges. The following types of colleges will create competition for your child:

A college in the same athletic conference

The student should apply to colleges that are competitive in the same area or location, athletic conference, or intellectual fields. The most competition often occurs between colleges that are in the same athletic conference.

An in-state public university

Even though you plan to go to a private college, always apply to a good in-state public university. The public university's low cost may force the private college to offer a tuition discount to make its cost competitive with the public university's cost. Low-cost public universities are the private colleges' main competition.

A similar college outside of the student's region of residency

The student should apply to similar private colleges that are located outside of the student's region of residency. Most private colleges try to achieve regional diversity in its student body. The college may offer tuition discounts to entice students who are located in a different region.

3. Use the CLEP Program and AP Tests to Reduce the Cost of College

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a widely accepted credit-by-examination program in the United States today. Although Advanced Placement (AP) courses are usually taken by above-average students, CLEP exams seem to benefit the average student and also the non-traditional (adult ed) student. The CLEP examinations are a series of examinations in undergraduate college courses that provide the student with the opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement and achieve college credit. The examinations, which are sponsored by the College Board, are administered at colleges year-round. All CLEP exams are delivered on computer, providing test takers with instant score results. Be sure to check the college's CLEP policy before taking any exam. The CLEP program can help students save time, save money, and advance to more specialized courses.

Perhaps the easiest and most effective way for a student to stand out academically for admissions is to score well on Advanced Placement (AP) tests offered by the College Board (www.collegeboard.com). While these studies are for the academically gifted student, they can represent real dollar reductions in the cost of college. The student can receive a full year's credit and be granted sophomore standing from more than 1,400 higher education institutions by earning satisfactory grades on enough AP Examinations.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Where Did President Ronald Reagan Go to College?

Ask anybody: "Who are the great men in human history?" Likely you will hear names such as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, or perhaps even Ronald Reagan. What do these men have in common? What made them great? They were successful because they were powerful, and with this power they changed the course of history by their heroic actions, or by ruling countries or even whole continents. Ronald Reagan was born in 1911. I have said before I am not a Republican nor a Reagan fan, but it is significant history for northern Illinois and needs to be talked about. Today we see the Ronald Reagan Birthplace building. He was born in the second floor apartment of a commercial building in downtown Tampico, Illinois. Where did president Ronald Reagan go to college ? The Reagan's lived in the second floor apartment. For a case of pareidolia, notice the apparition in the window, who could that be? From 1915-1919 the structure housed a bakery and from 1919-1931 a bank, First National Bank. Today the first and second floor have been restored. The first floor is a spot-on recreation of a 1920s bank that incorporates original elements from the building's stint as a bank, such as the vault. The second floor is done as a period apartment from the era when the Reagan's occupied the space. Interestingly, the apartment features a skylight in the center of its main room and is decorated to the period when the Reagans lived there, although none of the original Reagan furnishings are there. Did Ronald Reagan go to college ? The Graham Building matches up with the harmony of the rest of the district

map of u s electoral college

disadvantages electoral college

he building is very similar to the other structures in the Main Street Historic District. It is two stories with three upper floor, flat-headed windows. The Graham Building also has a metal cornice which closely matches the cornice lines of the adjacent structures, contributing to the overall architectural harmony of the historic district. When I went it was July, 105 degrees, and the woman inside, a volunteer, seemed truly glad to see me. In fact she chased me down on the hot street. Initially, when I tugged at the door, I couldn't get it to open, I think she thought I was inept but it really wouldn't open. But she came outside to get me, eventually she gave me a free tour of the bank, the apartment and told me numerous tales about the Reagan family. Even recalling when Ronald Reagan actually visited the birthplace during the 1980s or 1990s or some such. It was very interesting and for her kindness I bought a magnet and donated five dollars to the museum. As president, Reagan implemented bold new political and economic initiatives. His supply-side economic policies, dubbed "Reaganomics," included deregulation and substantial tax cuts implemented in 1981. In his first term he survived an assassination attempt, took a hard line against organized labor, and ordered military actions in Grenada. He was reelected in a landslide in 1984. Reagan's second term was primarily marked by foreign matters, namely the ending of the Cold War, the bombing of Libya, and the revelation of the Iran-Contra affair. The president had previously ordered a massive military buildup in an arms race with the Soviet Union, forgoing the strategy of détente. He publicly described the USSR as an "evil empire" and supported anti-Communist movements worldwide. He negotiated with Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, resulting in the INF Treaty and the decrease of both countries' nuclear arsenals. Reagan left office in 1989; in 1994 the former president disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease earlier in the year and died ten years later at the age of ninety-three. He ranks highly among former U.S. presidents in terms of approval rating.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Electoral College Map With Numbers

Is it time to junk the Electoral College? By formulating such an arcane method of electing the executive, the founding fathers hoped to insulate the presidency from popular emotions while, at the same time, protecting thinly populated states from domination by the great cities. The College works by having the state legislatures pick people to vote for the President. Each state has the number of electors as it has representatives to the congress, both House and Senate. These were to be the most able people of the state...in theory. What quickly evolved was that each party would nominate a slate of electors. The political party that won the state's popular vote would have their slate of electors get the right to vote for President. A "win" was considered 50% plus one vote This has been the method of electing our Presidents since the founding of the republic. There have been consequences not intended by the founders. They have shaped what kind of party system we have. The structure of elections has determined the ways campaigns are run. They have even affected the way in which our government is organized. The "winner-take-all" system also shapes the campaign. Since only one vote more than the competing party is required, there is no reason to give campaign resources to states where a particular candidate is well ahead or too far behind to compete. The battlegrounds are those states that could go either way. In a tight campaign the votes of small states become critical in putting together an electoral majority. Because a state's entire electoral vote is determined by which party gets one vote more than the next, there is no advantage in voting for a party that will come short of that goal. Ten percent means no vote at all. It makes sense then that we have two parties because that's the surest way to win the privilege of casting the electoral vote. While third parties might have influence at the state level, it is almost impossible to have an effect at the Presidential level. A popular-vote election means Presidential candidates no longer visiting small, closely contested states. It reduces their influence. The electoral wars will be waged only in the large cities. The changes don't stop there. Remember, we now nominate candidates by state primaries. Electing people by a national popular vote would cause those to merge into a national primary. After all, if states no longer elect the President, why should they nominate the candidate? There's a whole new national campaign. college map college map A popular election of the President would change that. No longer would a national campaign be necessary. A President, political scientists tell us, could be elected in the six largest TV. markets. Campaigns would be waged in the large cities and their suburbs. Rural areas would be completely ignored. That is especially true for Democrats. The parties would spend their resources in those areas where they are already strong. Political professionals know it's easier to expand the percentage of your vote in places you're already ahead. That is seen today. Republicans don't waste their resources in mainly African-American areas. Nor do the Democrats campaign in strong Republican precincts. The process has become longer and more expensive. But, that's not the end. Would a party want its candidate to be one with only, say, 20% of the vote? Probably not. A national run-off primary will evolve to insure one candidate wins 50%.. Electoral college map with numbers electoral college map with numbers
college supply list
Another problem now rears its ugly head...the national election. Recall that the Electoral College and the winner-take-all system forced the parties to campaign state by state. Since only a one-vote majority was required to carry that state, third parties found it impossible to exist. They could never have an influence. Not so with a popular vote election. Here a small party getting fifteen or twenty percent could have a large impact on who is elected. In fact, the vote could be spread among several small political parties. Would the nation be content with the President being elected with, say, 30% of the popular vote? Maybe not. There is a way around the problem. The old One-Party-Democratic-South solved it. It's called the run-off election. Now there are four possible national campaigns: the first national primary, the run-off national primary, the national election, and the run-off national election. Another effect is one that strikes at the government itself. It's likely that a multi-party system would evolve with elected officials from many different small ideological groups. How would the government work? Our national government is organized around two parties. Could it accommodate coalitions? There is no way to tell. All of the governments that have multi-party systems are Cabinet governments. There are built in mechanisms for bringing down the government and holding new elections when the governing coalition loses public support. Our constitution has no provision for such a circumstance. It's possible the popular election of the President would force the U. S. to completely change its government from a Presidential to a Cabinet form. Some people argue that would be a good thing. It would, they say, make the government more responsive. They're right. But, it would also make it unstable. Our constitution creates government that is slow to respond because the framers wanted ideas to have time for thorough review and debate before they were made into national policy.