Overall, 77% of those who watched The State of the Union Address were pleased with what the President had to say.  It was a passionate plea and directive to the Congress and the American public. One of the most popular pieces on social media sites was the President’s remarks on increasing the federal minimum wage. The executive director of the Center for Community Change, Deepak Bhargava, echoed the President’s sentiment. “Congress must follow President Obama’s call tonight to raise the minimum wage and index increases to the cost of living in an effort to lift families out of poverty,” said Bhargava.

The tough issues our nation tackles will require the efforts from both sides of the aisle. The Center stands with the President on the need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage in an effort to eradicate poverty, and rebuild the middle class. As Congress works to pass comprehensive immigration reform and gun reform it is important that our economic issues are dealt with in a meaningful way.

“Lawmakers must stop playing politics with people’s lives and come together in a bipartisan spirit and heed the President’s call for economic justice.” –Deepak Bhargava