Paul Ryan, Republicans: Obama's Wage Hike Push 'Bad Economics'

President Barack Obama opened this year's congressional election season with a State of the Union message centered on economic inequalities, a theme harder to sustain in scattered House and Senate contests.
Mapping out his goals to assist those struggling amid a broader recovery, the president in last night's address called for extending unemployment benefits, an increase in the minimum wage to $10.10 from $7.25, a new retirement savings program, and more affordable college education.

"Corporate profits and stock prices have rarely been higher, and those at the top have...