State of the Union: Obama demands spread of wealth

US President Barack Obama has declared an end to the financial crisis and pledged economic policies to benefit all Americans, in his annual State of the Union address to Congress.

In a speech devised to appeal to working families, Mr Obama outlined his strategy for "middle-class economics".
"It's now up to us to choose who we want to be over the next 15 years," he said.
But the plans are unlikely to make it past a Republican-controlled Congress.
In a speech which he described as more focused on values than policies, Mr Obama declared America had turned a page after the worst recession since the Depression.
The president said he planned to build on this growth by providing working families with help in the form of sick and maternity leave and affordable childcare.
"Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?"

Cuban detainee Alan Gross received a standing ovation during the speech

First Lady Michelle Obama had her moment of applause

Joni Ernst rehearsing before her speech

Mr Obama's speech included plans to build a competitive economy by improving America's infrastructure and providing free access to community college.
"This plan is your chance to graduate ready for a new economy, without a load of debt," he said.
At the weekend, the White House pledged to close tax loopholes on large inheritances, raise capital gains tax on the richest earners from 23.8% to 28% and introduce new fees on US financial firms with assets about $50bn.
Some senior members of the Republican party dismissed this as "class warfare".
Other plans outlined by the president include:

• improve statutory sick leave and minimum wage
• help nine million students to pay for community college
• stronger cybersecurity and consumer protection
• continue with plans to shut the prison in Guantanamo
• equal pay for men and women

Analysis: BBC's North America editor, Jon Sopel Most of this speech must be seen as essentially aspirational, given the Republican control of both houses of Congress - and their antipathy towards the president
So if this speech stands little chance of becoming legislative reality, what was it all about?
First of all legacy. This is a president who seems to be following Winston Churchill's maxim that history is written by the winners.
A rock star sealing his legacy

On foreign policy, Mr Obama said America reserved the "right to act unilaterally" in hunting down terrorists and called on Congress to pass a resolution to authorise the use of force against Islamic State.
The president reiterated his belief that the US could negotiate an agreement to prevent Iran gaining nuclear weapons and said he would veto any new sanctions bill which threatens this.

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