With seemingly no end to the crisis in Ukraine, President Barack Obama today focused his attention back to his current domestic policy push - a new $10.10/hour minimum wage.

At a college gymnasium in Connecticut - a state which has adopted the new wage - Obama ignored arguments from Congressional Republicans that the wage hike would kill jobs.

"What happens if workers got a little more money in their pocket? They spend a little more money. Which means that suddenly businesses have more customers, which means they make more profits, which means they can hire more workers, which means you get a virtuous cycle. … It's common sense," Obama said to applause.

"Republicans in Congress don't want to vote on raising the minimum wage. Some have actually aid they just want to scrap the minimum wage," Obama added.

In the face of GOP resistance, the White House has made raising the minimum wage a major policy objective ahead of the midterm elections. The president has made several trips in recent weeks to promote the increase, using big name retailers like Costco and The Gap as examples of businesses who are committed to providing higher wages for rank-and-file employees.

Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy, who was on stage with Obama, said the policy is not only business-friendly, but it's also the right thing to do.

"I don't mind the rich getting richer. I just don't want the poor getting poorer," Malloy said after the speech.

Since he first made the pitch to raise the minimum wage a year ago, six states have done so, Obama said.