From the Introduction to Big-Box Swindle:

"This book argues that, to a scandalous degree, big-box retailers are a product of public policy, not simply consumer choice. Driven by an erroneous conviction that chain retailers boost employment and expand the economy, elected officials have actively fostered and underwritten their proliferation.... these apparent gains are illusory, that mega-retailers impose a variety of hidden costs on society and contribute far less to our economic well-being than they take away...Fortunately there is a spreading public realization of the true cost of mega-retailers. Across the country, citizens, local busienss owners, and elected officials are taking steps to curb their proliferation and rebuild local enterprises. Taken together, these strategies offer a road map for a more prosperous and sustainable future."