It's the mid-'70s in the small town of Humboldt, Iowa. Daniel Henderson owns a meat-processing plant that he had taken from his father, Michael, after taking advantage of his hospitality. Daniel, of course, is probably the best meatcutter in Iowa, and he taught everything he knows to his two sons, Lenard and Chris. Daniel deals strongly with the Mafia and sells human skins on the black market. The Mafia do their part in helping him become mayor of this quiet little town. Of course, little does anyone know that he sells human meat with his other meat from the packing house.
The people of Humboldt seem to have mixed feelings about their new mayor, especially since the other candidates disappeared mysteriously. Lenard is learning the ropes in both the political aspect of Daniel's business, but also the meatcutting industry is on the rise. Daniel, Lenard, and Chris, who is retarded, help in building a wall around the city and making the quiet town of Humboldt a Las Vegas-style city, with casinos and strip clubs and the whole bit.
Daniel tells the people of Humboldt that the wall is to keep the bikers out, that he hates with a vengeance. But the truth is that he just wants to have complete control on who comes in and goes out. At some point, Lenard kills his father and declares himself as God. Then he demands worship as well as control. Then the least-expected character has her part in taking Lenard down. Remember, through the voice of a child comes the voice of God. The strange part of that is that the child comes from one of his own.