Work Longer!
In the science fiction film “When Worlds Collide,” there’s a scene in which those attempting to save humanity from Earth’s impending destruction are urged, in a harsh, discordant tone, to work harder!
If that sounds vaguely familiar, it might be because recently Jeb Bush, a leading candidate for the Republican nomination for President, opined something similar. Trouble is, Bush meant it as an integral part of his economic plan.
Under that plan, the former Florida governor stated that “people should work longer hours" if the economy is to achieve faster and larger growth. While Bush’s staff maintains the “longer hours” comment was referred only to part-time workers, that’s not what Bush said at the time.
There’s an even more valid critique of the Jeb Bush economic plan. Longer hours most likely would make no difference to the economy because most Americans already work more than 40 hours a week. According to a 2014 Gallup poll, at least 40% of full-time workers put in more than 50 hours each week on the job.
During the debate in the House of Representatives over the Affordable Care Act, Representative Alan Grayson of Florida said the Republicans’ health care plan for America was "Don’t get sick." Now Jeb Bush has created a metaphor for Republican economic plans from “When Worlds Collide.”
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