Why Rubio voted 'no' on fiscal cliff deal

Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) decision to vote against the fiscal cliff deal was viewed as a shrewd decision by a likely presidential candidate to avoid upsetting his anti-tax base.

But in a Tuesday statement, Rubio said it would hurt the economy and amount to a historic tax hike.

"Rapid economic growth and spending reforms are the only way out of the real fiscal cliff our nation is facing," Rubio said. "But rapid economic growth and job creation will be made more difficult under the deal reached here in Washington."

Rubio added: “Thousands of small businesses, not just the wealthy, will now be forced to decide how they'll pay this new tax and, chances are, they'll do it by firing employees, cutting back their hours and benefits, or postponing the new hire they were looking to make. And to make matters worse, it does nothing to bring our dangerous debt under control.

“Of course, many Americans will be relieved in the short term that their taxes won't go up. However in the long run, they will be hurt when employers pass on to them one of the largest tax hikes in decades. Furthermore, this deal just postpones the inevitable, the need to solve our growing debt crisis and help the 23 million Americans who can't find the work they need."

Rubio was one of just eight senators to vote against the plan. Another dissenter is a possible 2016 candidate: Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. How another congressional Republican who may run for president - Rep. Paul Ryan -- may vote remains to be seen.