Jeb Bush said that in order to grow the economy “people should work longer hours,” ABC News reports.
Said Bush: “My aspiration for the country and I believe we can achieve it, is 4 percent growth as far as the eye can see. Which means we have to be a lot more productive, workforce participation has to rise from its all-time modern lows. It means that people need to work longer hours and, through their productivity, gain more income for their families. That’s the only way we’re going to get out of this rut that we’re in.”
Rick Klein: “Bush’s comments read like a classic gaffe — a wealthy candidate with a famous name dispensing advice that ‘people need to work longer hours.’ But in their context and later clarification, it’s clear that Bush was making a very serious point about a very real issue: underemployment. That makes this episode an early test of Bush’s strength in the Republican field, as well as a challenge to his rivals who would consider pouncing on the moment.”
