Part 14/17:
Carlson criticizes corporate developers and big-box stores, framing them as agents of cultural decay—desecrating natural beauty and contributing to urban ugliness. He laments how economic and political elites prioritize gain at the expense of community integrity, often at taxpayers’ expense. His frustration extends to the banking industry, which profits from consumer debt—particularly payday loans with astronomically high interest rates—tools of exploitation that trap vulnerable populations in cycles of debt.