Candidates: Take the Small Government Pledge^SM for Candidates

I believe that government is too big – that government spending, borrowing, debt, and taxes are too high.

As a candidate for public office:

1. I promise to campaign for specific proposals to roll back and reduce total government spending, debt, liabilities, borrowing, and taxes – and to immediately give back 100% of these savings to the taxpayers.
2. I promise to campaign to actively seek out and root out government waste, overspending, and non-essential spending.
3. I promise to campaign to shrink or eliminate Big Government programs that do not work or that make things worse.

As an elected officeholder, I will keep my campaign promises, including:

1. I promise to consistently support and vote for, or sign into law, measures that make government smaller than it is today.
2. I promise to actively and ambitiously work to shrink the total size, power, scope, authority, liabilities, unneeded assets, debt and taxes of today’s Big Government.
3. I promise to work ambitiously to lower total government spending and to vote against any bill that leaves the level of total government spending at its current level or sets it higher.
4. I understand why small government plus one exception = big government. I promise to make shrinking Big Government my highest priority and will never vote for nor act in support of any particular government program, regulation, tax, or intrusion at the expense of making government small.
5. I promise to oppose and vote against, or veto, all measures that:
   • increase total government spending
   • introduce new government programs
   • expand any government program
   • increase taxes, including any penalties, fees or payments mandated by government
   • serve to enable tax increases
   • increase government debt
   • increase non-essential government assets, or
   • expand government regulations or mandates.
6. I promise to do everything in my power to open the government’s books to all voters and taxpayers.
7. I promise to promptly disclose and publish every vote I cast or neglect to cast.

Terms and Conditions of Use of the Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates

If you’re a small government candidate, the Center For Small Government invites you to apply for certification as a Signer of the Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates. If certified by the Center For Small Government, and if you comply with all of the following terms and conditions, we grant you permission to use the Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates in your campaign:

1. Your application for the Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates is considered a signing of the standard Small Government Pledge^sm (for voters), i.e., you commit to vote only for other small government candidates on Election Day.
2. You promise to endorse and support only candidates who have signed the Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates or an equivalent pledge designed to reduce Big Government.
3. You have read – carefully – the Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates, you understand it, and you promise to speak and act in accordance with it. Every issue. Every time. No exceptions. No excuses.
4. If you are unclear of the meaning of any provision of the Pledge, you contact the Center For Small Government for clarification.
5. You prominently post the text of the complete Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates, or provide a link to this web page, on your campaign web site.
6. If you have served in public office, you publish or provide upon request your full voting record. That record must demonstrate compliance with the Small Government Pledge^sm. Exceptions may be granted if you have thoroughly renounced any past support for Big Government and have diligently attempted to reverse its effect.
7. If you fail to keep your Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates, or change your mind about it, you will immediately remove the Pledge and all references to it from your campaign communications and advertising.
8. The Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates is intended for candidates who present themselves and their message to the public effectively and persuasively. The Center for Small Government reserves the right to deny or revoke your use of the Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates at any time at the Center’s sole discretion.
9. If a representative from the Center For Small Government notifies you that you must discontinue use of the Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates, you will immediately remove the Pledge and all references to it from your campaign communications and advertising.

If as a candidate you agree to the above terms, and if you are committed to run for a particular office in the current election cycle, click here to apply for the Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates.

The Small Government Pledge^sm for Candidates is intended for candidates running for a particular office in the current election year. If you plan to run for office at an unspecified time in the future, please sign the standard Small Government Pledge^sm for voters today instead and sign the Candidates Pledge when you’re ready to run for office.

Know any candidates who may qualify for the Small Government Pledge^sm? Please send them to this web page and ask them to take the Pledge.

Small Government Pledge^SM is a Service Mark of Carla Howell and Michael Cloud