In his annual state of the union address, US President Barack Obama is promising to bypass America’s dysfunctional congress and enact as much economic reform as he is legally entitled. 

“Let’s make this a year of action,” Obama said before a joint meeting of congress, broadcast by most US networks.  One of the steps he’s taking is to raise the minimum wage for new federal contract staff.  That only covers federal workers and doesn’t help the average fast food worker, so the president urged congress to act to raise the nation’s minimum wage, currently US$7.25 (A$8.23) per hour.  Republicans claim an across the board increase could hurt the economy; Obama said the effect would be only positive.

Obama also appealed to Congress to restore unemployment insurance that recently expired for 1.6 million people, stalled because conservative republicans won’t help the jobless.  He asked republicans to stop wasting time trying to repeal his signature healthcare overhaul – each and every attempt to do so passed by the House went on to die in the Senate.

He also told Americans that 2014 should be the year to finally close the US prison at Guantanamo Bay as the United States winds down its military role in Afghanistan and shifts away from a “permanent war footing”.