Obama threatens to use executive power

President Barack Obama used his State of the Union address Tuesday night to make his pitch that the nation must come together to address persistent problems, from the wealth gap between rich and poor to economic mobility to lagging schools.

Stymied by Congress, Obama vowed that if lawmakers won't act, he will use his executive power to achieve some of his goals, which include raising the minimum wage for some workers hired by federal contractors and making it easier for low-income Americans to save for retirement.

The president also called on lawmakers to pass immigration reform and restore unemployment benefits, among other proposals.