In an interview with the Manchester Union-Leader, the first-in-the-nation primary state’s most-read paper, former Florida Gov Jeb Bush insisted “people should work longer hours”, as a key part of his plan to drive higher economic growth.
The comment is already being treated as a gaffe. But it is actually an accurate if perhaps over-candid explanation of his economic plan, which seeks to combat stagnant or declining wages by getting people to work more hours.
Bush has argued that his economic plan could allow the US to achieve average growth rates of 4% “as far as the eye can see”, a figure most economists believe is unrealistic for a mature economy like the United States. The “longer hours” comment was in reference to the historically low labor force participation rates the United States has seen in the aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis.
But numerous public opinion surveys and economic studies have shown that US workers log more hours than workers in any other industrial economy. The majority of Americans already work more than 40 hours a week. In fact, a 2014 Gallup poll found that 40% currently work more than 50 hours a week. The average American worked 11 hours per week more in 2006 than they or the equivalent worker did in 1979.
In response to criticism from Democrats, Bush’s spokesperson replied: “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.”
