Jeb: To Save Economy, 'People Need to Work Longer Hours'

Jeb Bush, pushing a plan for a more robust economic growth, declared American workers will need to clock "longer hours" – an assertion that had critics yowling the former Florida governor was crassly "out of touch."

During a meeting with the editorial board of the New Hampshire Union Leader, Bush was explaining his ideas on tax reform and the need to generate 4 percent economic growth, the Washington Post reports.

"Which means we have to be a lot more productive, workforce participation has to rise from its all-time modern lows," Bush said. "It means that people need to work longer hours."

The Democratic National Committee quickly ripped the remark, calling it "easily one of the most out-of-touch comments we've heard so far this cycle" – and drawing comparisons to gaffes made by GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney in 2012, the Post reports.

A Bush aide, attempting to defuse the criticism, quickly clarified the comment, saying he was referring to underemployed and part-time workers, ABC News reports.

"Under President Obama, we have the lowest workforce participation rate since 1977, and too many Americans are falling behind.," according to the statement, ABC News reports.

"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 also tried to clear up the confusion at a later town hall event in New Hampshire, The Hill reports.

Asked whether he was saying "somebody working two jobs needs to be working even more time," Bush replied, "Absolutely not. Their incomes need to grow."

"The simple fact is people are really struggling," he added, The Hill reports. "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."

According to an August 2014 Gallup poll, many full-time workers in America log an average 47 hours a week on the job, while nearly 4 in 10 saying they work at least 50 hours a week.

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