Jan Brewer Says GOP Should Be 'Pragmatic' About Taxes

WASHINGTON -- Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) said Republicans should be "pragmatic" and compromise with Democrats on a deal to avert spending cuts scheduled to take effect at the beginning of March.

On CBS' "Face The Nation," host Major Garrett asked Brewer which would be more damaging: For the "sequestration" cuts to take effect, or for Republicans to relent in their opposition to higher taxes and compromise with Democrats to replace the cuts with something else.

"We don’t like taxes. We don’t like increasing taxes," Brewer said. "But we know we have to be pragmatic. We know there has to be some kind of compromise, but dang it, they need to get the job done. They don’t need to leave the public out there hanging."

Garrett judged Brewer's response a "qualified yes" in favor of relenting on taxes.

Garrett also pressed Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) on how Congress should replace the $85 billion sequestration cuts, roughly half of which fall on defense spending. McDonnell, whose state's economy relies to some extent on defense contracting, wouldn't rule out higher taxes, but wouldn't endorse them, either.

"The solution is up to Congress," McDonnell said. "I'm saying don't put all the burden on the states and the military. You guys figure out how to get it done."

Members of Congress have seemed more interested lately in figuring out which party came up with the sequester than in replacing the policy. Republicans have said it's all Obama's fault, though McDonnell reportedly told local radio station WAMU on Sunday that the GOP is "absolutely" responsible for passing the sequestration into law.