I always thought Rush was talking about taxation and public assistance. It was only later that I identified the oaks as possibly meaning those "born to the purple and ermine".
Eric, Muleshoe is pretty close to Lazbuddie, Bovina, Progress and Lariat. Farwell is pretty close and Clovis, New Mexico was the big city with a Doctor. It is flat land blessed with sandstorms, blizzards and cyclones. With the exception of big farmers and ranchers, nobody had 2 nickels to rub together. Everybody in the County knew who could or could not be trusted and a mans word was his bond. Welfare meant neighbors helping neighbors. All of the "doins" were at the Oddfellow Lodge or one of the multitude of Baptist Churches. As a kid, I couldn't imagine a better place to be. Of course, like an awful lot of small towns, a High School Grad without well-to-do family had to go to elsewhere to find opportunity.
