[bayourod]

"we just had a local community pass a law banning chickens in town. "

That's the way a town should handle a nuisance. Attack the specific problem, don't just blame president Bush.

Example: Houston solved its gang problems in the 80s with oincreased law enforcemant. LA, has a severe gang problem which they blame on immigration. Both Houston and LA have similar immigrant concentrations, but LA which is several time larger than Houston only has a third the number of policemen. It's not Bush's fault.

So are the meat packing plants locating outside the city limits, or are those towns drying up like many rural towns. Are their hospitals closing?

[investigateworld]

RE: Huston and LA. It is just about impossible to raise local taxes in California due to Prop. 13. The State, because of the cost of providing services (read wealth transfer) to a large minority of it's citizens is in no position to help. In fact, the state legislature spends a great deal of time looking for additional sources to steal from local entities.
Basically, California has reached critical mass. Homes in gated communities, IE Diamond Bar, are reaching new heights as people flee to safety.