Friday, November 9, 2012                                      Contact: Alex Conant (202) 224-3041

SENATOR RUBIO ADDRESSES LOOMING FISCAL CLIFF

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued the following statement regarding the looming fiscal cliff after President Obama insisted today that tax increases be part of the solution to avert it:

“I fundamentally reject the idea that the only way to avoid the fiscal cliff is to raise taxes and jeopardize job creation. Without a bold plan to bring spending under control and get our economy growing, we will be right back at the edge of this cliff in just a matter of years. I am not interested in short-term political deals. We need a long-term solution.

“The bottom line is that we can’t tax, or even cut, our way out of this. The only way to solve this is through economic growth. And tax increases are not going to grow an economy and encourage businesses to create jobs. Having the government redistribute even more money from job creators is not a recipe for job creation.

“Nothing that I’ve seen during the past two years has invalidated the free enterprise miracle I have seen throughout my life. Many years ago, my parents were able to earn a living and provide for our family because entrepreneurs in Miami and Las Vegas invested money to open and expand resorts and hotels. Having the government take that same money would not have helped people like my parents, and it won’t help people today.

“Tax increases are not the answer. We need fundamental tax reform, an overhaul of our regulatory structure, a cut to discretionary spending, a balanced budget amendment, and reforms to save Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

“This fiscal cliff is the result of decades of short-term Washington solutions and politicians willing to kick our problems down the road instead of solving them decisively. True leadership - the kind America needs now more than ever - requires us to summon the will and courage to solve our greatest challenges. Until we do that, we will continue to have an economy that isn’t growing, and a national debt that is.”