Dear Diary: I have been immersed in preparations for my SOTU speech tomorrow, huddled in the Oval Office with Valerie Jarrett. For months now we have been looking for ways to "persuade" the CEOs of large companies to hire more of the long-term unemployed. Valerie has been working the phones recently, talking to CEOs and their human resources managers. "We see you have a fine record of corporate citizenship and good records with the IRS. We wouldn't want anything to damage your stature, now would we? Employing more of the long-term unemployed would encourage the IRS to look most favorably upon you. " The reaction to these calls has been noticeable, with a visible uptick in hiring of those who have prolonged periods out of work.
