Vote-restricting single issue pledges signed by anyone entering congress are highly damaging. They control the way senators and representatives can vote on legislation, including any tax changes, carbon caps, social security, agency funding, and human rights.
Votes should be freely and legally cast without restriction. By signing third party contracts backed by PACs, corporations, lobbyists, and billionaires, true representation of a constituency is lost and ceded, and votes are purchased at undisclosed multimillion dollar value. Worse, the ability to vote on large bills with multiple issues is halted completely, since those become under control of the pledge issue-- producing gridlock.
Ban pledges! Congress needs to be conflict free!