Obama threatens to go it alone a dozen times in speech By United Press International

[Fay Dickson-- AKA doofs]

President Obama said in his State of the Union address he would use executive power to tackle the U.S. wealth disparity and try to speed the economic recovery.

"I'm eager to work with all of you," he told a joint session of Congress in a 65-minute nationally televised speech in the House chamber. "But America does not stand still -- and neither will I.

"So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that's what I'm going to do," Obama said.

The president sketched a dozen limited initiatives on jobs, wages, retirement and other areas he said he would take without congressional approval, using the discretionary power of his office.

Among them were plans to raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers by next year to $10.10 an hour from $7.25, create a new government-backed private retirement savings plan and speed up the completion of a previously announced program to connect schools to broadband wireless.

Democratic lawmakers generally applauded his plans. Republican lawmakers warned of presidential overreach and cast Obama as having given up on trying to compromise with Congress.

One lawmaker said he walked out during Obama's speech.      http://www.gopusa.com/news/2014/01/29/obama-threatens-to-go-it-alon...