Christmas in Cancelled on Long Island

I sense a theme developing here:

Santa Claus isn't coming to this Long Island town.

David McKell,83, has played Santa for nine consecutive years at the St. James General Store, but budget cuts in Suffolk County have him out of a job.

Suffolk County Executive Mark Smith told Newsday that 750 people are facing layoffs because of the dire budget situation.

"The alternative is always there for the General Store to find a volunteer willing to play Santa for the kids."

The county says it cannot afford the $660 to hire a Santa this year.

When it is beginning to come down to cutting a mere $660 out of a municipal budget rather than "saving" the supreme icon of American mindless consumerism, you know things are starting to get very bad out there.