Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush said Wednesday that in order to grow the economy “people should work longer hours” — a comment that the Bush campaign argues was a reference to underemployed part-time workers but which Democrats are already using to attack him.
During an interview that was live-streamed on the app Periscope, Bush told New Hampshire’s The Union Leader that to grow the economy, “people should work longer hours.”
He was answering a question about his plans for tax reform and responded:
“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.”
Already the Democratic National Committee has pounced, releasing a statement that calls his remarks “easily one of the most out-of-touch comments we’ve heard so far this cycle,” adding that Bush would not fight for the middle class as president.
In a statement, a Bush aide clarified that he was referring to the underemployed and part-time workers: “Under President Obama, we have the lowest workforce participation rate since 1977, and too many Americans are falling behind. Only Washington Democrats could be out-of-touch enough to criticize giving more Americans the ability to work, earn a paycheck, and make ends meet.”
Bush commented on this issue speaking before the Detroit Economic Council back in February.
“For several years now, they have been recklessly degrading the value of work, the incentive to work, and the rewards of work. We have seen them cut the definition of a full-time job from 40 to 30 hours, slashing the ability of paycheck earners to make ends meet,” he said. “We have seen them create welfare programs and tax rules that punish people with lost benefits and higher taxes for moving up those first few rungs of the economic ladder.”
A 2014 Gallup poll found that already many Americans employed full-time report working, on average, 47 hours a week, while nearly 4 in 10 say they work at least 50 hours a week.
US workers toil more hours than workers in any other large, industrialized country, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
There are 6.5 million people in the country who, according to the Bureau of Labor, are working part time for economic reasons. This means they are involuntarily working part time because they can’t find full time employment and presumably would work more if they could.
Some took Bush’s comments as an opportunity to pounce.
The Clinton camp weighed in, with campaign chair John Podesta tweeting:
Americans are working pretty hard already & don't need to work longer hours — they need to get paid more. http://t.co/MsGj4SmtaE
— John Podesta (@johnpodesta) July 9, 2015
Rick Tyler, the national spokesman for Ted Cruz’s campaign also issued a statement.
“It would seem to me that Gov Bush would want to avoid the kind of comments that led voters to believe that Governor Romney was out of touch with the economic struggles many Americans are facing,” he said. “The problem is not that Americans aren’t working hard enough. It is that the Washington cartel of career politicians, special interests and lobbyists have rigged the game against them.”
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/jeb-bush-people-work-longer-hours/story?id=32313997
Rot in hell Jeb Bush.
We need to work LESS hours for MORE money.
Jeb Bush needs to be worked to death on my plantation (veggie garden) with a steel ball chained to his ankle.
“Pull them weeds, you son-of-a-bitch, or you’ll feel some more of that whip across your back.”
What needs to be longer is that fat bastard`s neck ! If that inbred put in a good days work it would kill him !!
nice of them to be open about your enslavement perhaps a few more have been enlightend as a result.
Brought to you by someone who has never had to work a day in his whole life!
What a POS.
Work longer? What jobs is the dunce referring too to work longer at?
My very first thought upon seeing the title.
Does anyone remember when George W Bush was president, and he had this little old decrepid looking lady who looked like she was dying on stage, and she said to GW she was working 3 jobs (instead of enjoying old age in retirement) and GW said, “Ain’t that typically American!!!!” that she was working 3 jobs. Anyone remember that? That infuriated me.
They want you to WORK WORK WORK for LESS LESS LESS for LONGER LONGER LONGER…then when you can’t even walk at work because you’re 90, they’ll stick a pitchfork up your ass and throw you in the garbage. You’re done. You’re not “useful” to them anymore.
google search “Bush Family and the S and L scandal”…….. F******G scum family!
Oh Philly Phred, The “Bush Family Evil Empire” goes back, at least, to Convicted War Criminal and Nazi sympathizer, Prescott Bush. I’m guessing, with reasonable certainty, the evil spawn goes way back. I’m just unfamiliar with the Bush Family prior to WWII. I can only tolerate the outrage for so long, regarding the Bush family, and I get nauseous.
Jeb Bush’s typical day? “What, you haven’t found me a hard working look-alike to read the teleprompter and smile with a handshake? WTF? I gotta get dressed again? Honey, hold that pose, I’ll be back in an hour. If my wife calls, tell her I’m reading “My Pet Goat” to 1st graders and helping little old ladies across the street.”
Be a good little slave and work until you drop.
I work my ass off and only get paid for half of it now.
Why doesn,t this no work all play commie scum bag go shave with a tree trimmer.
“… shave with a tree trimmer.”
Wood chipper.
“Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush said Wednesday that in order to grow the economy “people should work longer hours” — a comment that the Bush campaign argues was a reference to underemployed part-time workers but which Democrats are already using to attack him.”
Ahhh….the old Commie way. “More work, less money”. Just like my current job. I’m exhausted and I get no extra pay or bonus to show for it. My wife’s job is the same way as I’m sure everyone else in this country is in the same boat.
When are we going to hang this piece of shit? 😡