For 38 years, Ramon Gonzalez has held a Miracle on 31st party for poor kids in Tucson on Dec. 24 at the Tucson Fairgrounds. Last year 8,000 kids attended. So far this year he has collected only 40 toys. Other such events are also short of toys, and one town refused to put up any public money for a party. Meanwhile foreclosures are on the rise, and University of Arizona economists predict that things will get considerably worse. Tucson is relying heavily on Mexican visitors to boost Christmas sales. There's some irony for you.
Michael Yates