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Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush spoke a bit about his economic plan for America in a livestream interview that soon went national, suggesting one big change he’d seek is for Americans to work longer hours.
In answer to a question about tax reform during an interview on Periscope, Bush first said he thought the country could achieve a 4 percent economic growth – but that it depended on how hard Americans want to work.
“Which means we have to be a lot more productive, workforce participation has to rise from its all-time modern lows,” Bush said, the Hill reported. “It means that people need to work longer hours.”
The Democratic National Committee was quick to seize the moment as a political tool.
“[That’s] easily one of the most out-of-touch comments we’ve heard so far this cycle,” the group said in a statement reported by ABC.
Bush clarified his remarks, saying he didn’t mean Americans needed to add hours to their work schedules but rather, “their incomes need to grow.”
He was asked: Do you mean “somebody working two jobs needs to be working even more time?”
Bush answered: “Absolutely not. … The simple fact is people are really struggling. So giving people a chance to work longer hours has got to be part of the answer. If not, you are going to see people lose hope. And that’s where we are today.”
