One of the things that really struck me in this book - even though Speck never talks directly about big box stores - is that stores like Walmart aren't really a result of free market forces at all, but are basically an outgrowth of extensive government subsidies for car culture. If we can redirect that spending, we'll create a more local economy naturally, because it will no longer make sense for people to drive that far to shop at Walmart.

I feel this might also have a good effect as it makes megachurches less economically viable, too.