Statement by Senator Bernie Sanders: Bush 'Does Not Seem to Understand Our Economy,'

WASHINGTON – Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday reacted to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's statement on Wednesday that "people need to work longer hours" to improve the economy.

"Unfortunately," Sanders said, "Gov. Bush does not seem to understand what is happening in our economy today. The sad truth is that because the middle class has declined over the last 40 years, while almost all new income and wealth have gone to the people on top, Americans already work the longest hours of any people in the western industrialized world. In fact, 80 percent of working men work longer than 40 hours a week. What we need now is an economy that provides decent wages and income for the middle class, not demands that people work even longer hours than they currently do."

Bush's statement, which he later reportedly attempted to walk back, came during an editorial board with the New Hampshire Union Leader.