Candidates for Congress and the General Assembly are now filing to run for office, which means it is also the season of absurd political pledge drives as right-wing groups demand that candidates sign statements promising what they will or won't do if they are elected.

Americans for the Prosperous announced this week that Will Breazeale, a Republican candidate for Congress, has signed "No Climate Tax" pledge, whatever that means.

Promising a group of anti-government global warming deniers that you won't do anything to address the devastating effects of climate change is more of an indication of the desperation of your candidacy than anything else, but it also marks beginning of the pledge drive nonsense to come.

Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform is the main list maker that Americans for the Prosperous and other groups tout, keeping track of its Taxpayer Protection Pledge that asks candidates to "solemnly bind themselves to oppose any and all tax increases."

The groups says that as of February 22, 43 members of the General Assembly and five members of Congress from North Carolina have engaged in the solemn binding and you can expect a flood of candidates to pander to Norquist and his crowd and sign the pledge soon.

The pledge is worn as a badge of honor by the candidates on the Right, featured on their websites and campaign mailings. It is really a proclamation that candidates have agreed not to think for themselves.

They have pledged to vote against any and all efforts to raise taxes. No exceptions. No emergency or disaster could ever be serious enough to convince them that the state needs more revenue.

No crisis in the schools, no devastation from a hurricane, nothing would ever make them vote to raise any tax, ever.

The pledge-takers sign it before having any understanding of the state budget situation or state needs, finding it important to close their minds before any inconvenient or uncomfortable information find its way in.

Americans for Tax Reform is run by Grover Norquist, who famously said he wants shrink government to the size where he can "drown it in the bathtub," and also describes his "ideal citizen" as a "self-employed, homeschooling, IRA-owning guy with a concealed-carry permit [who] doesn't need the [expletive deleted] government for anything."

Sounds like just the guy you want to please. Norquist says that protecting taxpayers should be the first priority of any candidates elected to a state legislature.  Some might suggest that the first priority of legislators ought to be to act in the best interests of the people they represent, not simply protect them from taxes.

Not Norquist or Americans for the Prosperous. It's blind allegiance to an ideology they seek, not thoughtful debate.

The ridiculous no climate tax pledge is the latest indication that the pledge fever is spreading. Breazeale himself has already taken a "bonded term limits pledge," promising to donate $250,000 to a private charity if he doesn't serve only three terms if he is elected.

Term limits are bad enough. Now they are "bonded," which means that you should only run for Congress if you have $250,000 to give away.

If candidates are determined to sign pledges, here's one for them to consider, a pledge not to sign any pledges before they are elected so they can make decisions based on facts and thoughtful consideration, not blind loyalty to Norquist or Americans for the Prosperous or anybody else.