President Barack Obama did his constitutional duty yesterday and gave the annual State of the Union address. The president called upon Congress in making this “a year of action,” but warned that their inability to get things done will not stop him from pushing his agenda forward.

The big theme of the speech was how to strengthen our middle class through raising the minimum wage, reforming immigration, teaching the necessary skills to the unemployed to get a good paying job, and ensuring women are paid equally to men for equal work. These are all issues that any American can support fixing, but that is not the reality of the political climate of the U.S. today.

For instance, let’s take a look at equal pay for equal work: women make up the majority of the American workforce, but they still make less than their male counterparts. How is it possible for anyone to not support this policy change?

Everyone deserves to be paid equally as long as they do the same amount of work. Democrats have been the ones to push this issue, but many Republicans are against this for one reason: Obama supports it. This is not the way our leaders should be governing the United States.

Congress should work together to grow the middle class again, and the best way to do that is to make many of the president’s proposals he talked about last night into law. Sadly, this will most likely not occur.

Without Congress passing meaningful legislation, the president has no choice but to go alone and do whatever is in his powers to push his agenda forward. Obama promised that his next executive order is to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 for employees of federal contractors. While this may not impact everyone, it is a good starting point.

Since Congress will most likely not raise the minimum wage, it is up to states and cities across the country to take this upon themselves. America cannot stand still just because of a divided government in Washington. Like Obama said, “give America a raise.”

The U.S. is the land of opportunity; as long as people work hard they can improve their lives. However, this idea has been diminished over the years. The way the country can reclaim this title is by getting behind the president and making this year a year of action.

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