Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) “said Sunday he can accept tax reform that increases overall tax revenue as part of a comprehensive deficit reduction plan,” CNN reports.
Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma told the NBC program "Meet the Press" that if lowering tax rates and eliminating loopholes and deductions ended up bringing in more money to the U.S. government, "that would be fine with me."
Asked about a pledge he signed previously against any kind of tax increase, Coburn said his more important pledge was to do what’s best for the country. He also noted that political reality dictated the need for bipartisan support for any agreement to pass.
"This isn’t about politics as normal," Coburn said. "It’s about making a decision now that is urgent."
Coburn is one of six senators taking part in bipartisan talks on a deficit reduction blueprint. While they have yet to reach final agreement, the senators participating in the so-called "Gang of Six" want their work to serve as an impetus for both sides to meet somewhere in the middle on the deficit reduction issue.
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