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May 25, 2013 | 10:04 AM
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Rubio: 'No tax in the world will cure debt'

March 18, 2013 | 4:32 pm
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With some of the strongest anti-tax rhetoric of anybody in Washington, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that there is no tax available that can solve the nation's growing debt crisis, despite Democratic demands for a "balanced" approach of tax increases and spending cuts.

"We need to address our debt," he told the Chamber's elite "Committee of 100" in Orlando, Florida on Saturday. "And there's no tax increase in the world that will solve it. The only solution is a combination of fiscal discipline with rapid economic growth," added the likely 2016 Republican presidential candidate.

The solution, he said, is economic growth, and Rubio suggested that 4 percent growth would "pull millions out of poverty and reduce our deficits by almost $4 trillion dollars over the next decade."

With his trademark positive outlook, Rubio told the 100 business leaders that the recession is a perfect time to push free enterprise. "Jobs aren't created by government, they're created by people who are willing to start a business or expand an existing one. That is the role of government, to send clear signals that Washington is serious about pro-growth policies," he said in remarks provided by the Chamber.

His key suggestions, according to the released remarks:

"One of the best ways to encourage growth is to engage in free and fair trade.

"We need to advance an energy policy that takes advantages of our God given resources and fully utilize all of the above in a responsible way.

"We need to address our debt. And there's no tax increase in the world that will solve it. The only solution is a combination of fiscal discipline with rapid economic growth. If we can get the economy to grow at just 4% it would pull millions out of poverty and reduce our deficits by almost $4 trillion dollars over the next decade.

"That's the true promise of economic growth for the middle class."

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