Republican domination will continue

Although most races will be decided on local issues, the recent events in Washington are sure to play a role in the outcome of this critical election. The misconduct of President Clinton and investigation which has followed are sure to energize the bases of both parties. Turnout is key, and Republicans will hold the edge.

While the GOP has been blamed for using the president's misfortunes as political fuel, in reality the opposite is true. It is the Democrats on Capitol Hill and throughout the nation who have tried to demonize Independent Counsel Ken Starr and Republicans for the "witch hunt." These efforts will fall short on election day.

Most people will be voting on the issues. While the Republican majority has been widely criticized for folding under Clinton's pressure during the recent budget negotiations, they offered voters a clear understanding of the differing agendas.

Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich led the fight to fund a stronger national defense, protected children from pornography on the Internet and blocked the call for unequal protection under the law, also known as "hate-crime" legislation.

President Clinton and many from within his party have offered the American people what they have best to offer: fear. Sidestepping the issues, they have resorted to the scare tactics they feel will win them political points.

Charging Republicans with wanting to do away with Medicare and Social Security, and being opposed to the education of children have become common campaign slogans for the desperate Dems.

Some have even gone so far as to connect their political opponents with playing roles in the deaths of Matthew Shepard and a New York abortion provider. This intellectually dishonest campaign will not save them from the public rejection they will face on election day.

Republicans are not going to win big this year because President Clinton has had an affair with an intern or because he lied under oath. They will win because of what they stand for: smaller and more efficient government, return of power to the state and local level, support of a well-prepared military, issuing a war on crime and drugs.

Republican gains will also be attributed to what the president and his party have demonstrated is important to them: higher taxes, more government, giving clean needles to drug users, partial-birth abortion.

The choice is clear. The results will be as clear.

Predictions range anywhere from a 10- to 30-seat gain in the House and three- to five-seat pick-up in the Senate. The Senate will be decided by many close races which are still considered a toss-up, namely New York, California and North Carolina.

My call is that Republican gains will be modest yet larger than recent predictions: 15 to 20 seats in the House and four in the Senate.

Tuesday, the American people will get their chance to speak. And at that moment, when the last vote is counted, and the final race decided, it will be they who will be heard. And finally, the politicians, the polls and the pundits will be silenced.

Al Mollo is a political science senior serving an internship in the office of Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.