If you want anyone to take the recommendations with some seriousness, you must put up people that congress will respect and it must appear to be two party. Breaux is a middle of the road southern democrat. He helped pass Bush's tax cuts in previous years and was known as a guy that could bring both sides together. I think breaux is a good choice
I am sorry, the only way to make the process serious is to do serious and accurate research. The politics should be peripheral, especially from Republicans. We need folks who have done serious academic and policy work in taxation to head the panel, not lifetime politicians. The only politics I am willing to consider is not between Republican and Democrat, but between flat-tax or consumption tax. The only politicians on this panel should be proponents of either plan, not ones who will derail both. Expect no tax simplification.