I, [candidate name], if re-elected to my seat in the [Senate/House of Representatives], hereby commit to co-sponsor and vote in favor of legislation to establish a 10-year moratorium on any reductions to social security benefits, on raising the eligibility age, or making any other alteration in the program as it is now configured such as would negatively impact recipients of such benefits. I will offer no resistance to, put up no impediment to, and in fact will publicly and on the floor of Congress actively promote any and all legislation in support of this measure. If no other legislator comes forth to offer such a moratorium, I pledge to introduce by my own personal initiative, within 90 days of taking office, such a legislative act.
I further understand and fully agree to the following: If I violate the above-stated terms of this pledge, I will tender on the 91st day after taking an oath of office for my legislative seat, my full and unqualified resignation from this elected position. Moreover, within one year of my resignation, I will refund all contributions made from individual donors in support of my candidacy for this office.
This pledge constitutes a legally binding contract between myself and that class of citizens who will be my constituents, should I win the upcoming election. In the event I fail to perform the above-required actions, redress may be sought by those citizens in the form of a class-action suit in a civil court of law, and I will be liable for a minimum of $10,000,000 damages for breach of contract. If I fail to resign from office due to my failure to fulfill the other requirements of this contract, I may be liable for an additional class-action settlement in the amount of $50,000,000. No portion of these settlements may be paid from campaign donations, PACs or SuperPACs.
I take this pledge voluntarily and with full appreciation of my responsibility to those citizens I will be representing in my capacity as elected representative from [name of state]. I accept the terms of this pledge with a thorough understanding of its requirements and consequences.
Signed: __________________________ Dated: ___________
Predictably, he laughs. He huffs. He puffs. He stalls.
Now we point out that another candidate has already signed the pledge.
If this other candidate is the major-party opponent, this should be stated loud and clear.
If it's a minor-party or an independent, there's no point in volunteering who it is.
But remember, this is still very bad news for the candidate we are confronting. It's not going to be as frightening or urgent but it still applies the pressure. We have just shown several thousand signatures of people who have said they will only vote for a candidate who supports the position. And we've got another candidate who has signed the pledge. All the targeted candidate needs to think is that there is a "spoiler vote" out there, a significant enough number of angry voters that they could cost the election. Ask Al Gore about spoiler votes.
The ball is now in the candidate's court.
If he signs, we've got him or her where we want. Like it or not he is aligned with us, at least on the legislative matter covered by this particular pledge.
If he doesn't sign, he is setting himself up for a firestorm of bad publicity, hopefully some serious public outrage. The candidate him or herself has written the script.
I can see the local headlines now . . .
[Name of candidate] Refuses To Sign Pledge Protecting Social Security
Yes! This will get some attention. I can see some herniated eyebrows at campaign headquarters. It should make some voters think twice. Or at least make the candidate fear that they are.
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