Gov. Walker, Gwen Moore speak out in advance Pres. address

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- President Barack Obama is set to deliver his State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, January 28th. The speech comes just two days before a presidential visit to the Milwaukee area.

President Obama plans to act on income inequality in his State of the Union speech.

He will unveil an executive order to raise the minimum wage for federal contract workers to $10.10 an hour -- and will repeat the call he made last year.

"Tonight, let's declare in the wealthiest nation on earth, no person working full-time should have to live in poverty -- and raise the federal minimum wage," President Obama said on February 12th, 2013.

Democratic Congresswoman Gwen Moore of Milwaukee supports the President.

"I think that he is going to set the tone for the rest of the 113th Congress by saying 'with you or without you, I'm continuing to be hopeful and optimistic about making this economy work and I'm going to start by doing what I can do,'" Moore said.

Meanwhile, Gov. Scott Walker says the President's policies are dragging down the national economy.

"The kind of jobs that most of these apprenticeships lead to, pay double what their proposing with the minimum wage -- as opposed to putting something out trying to look like you're trying to raise the minimum wage. To me, the better way is go out and help people get the training they need to fill these jobs," Gov. Walker said.

The President has mentioned Wisconsin in his last three State of the Union addresses.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was at the White House last week, meeting with Vice President Joe Biden.

He says the speech will deal in part with helping the nation's manufacturing businesses.

"I know that he's going to be talking about manufacturing, in part because he's going to go to a manufacturing facility here, and I'm hopeful he'll focus on what we need here which is a stronger connection between the workers who are out of work and the employers who need workers.  It's like two ships passing in the night right now, because I talk to people who are very frustrated right now who don't have jobs, but I also talk to employers who can't find workers," Mayor Barrett said.