If these "industries" seem unaffected to you, it's probably then simply a matter of time.

Who knew veterinarian clinics would be the next to fall to VC? And I am hearing that independent senior living is being raided by VC, perhaps cemeteries as well....

VC and PE are distinct. You can't just interchange the terms.

VCs invest with the hope the investee will grow quickly. PE firms do not have that hope. This distinction has a large effect on the strategies available to the investor. A PE firm for example will usually be averse to investing if they will not end up with managerial control over the investee, but a VC fund routinely makes such investments.

Yeah, I screwed up — I meant PE.

I like my doctors just fine. They're great.

It's the $50k/year in insurance, copays, etc. I don't love.

Except fast food has gone up 50-100% in the past 5 years. Groceries up 30-50% in the same time. Car mechanics, I can't speak to.

Not THAT well.

Are your specific shops PE backed? There are lower barriers to entry so your local restaurant, super market or car mechanic can still exist alongside PE-backed chains. One can't just on a whim decide to become a doctor.

In my area I live near a Fred Meyers, a QFC and a Safeway. Soon enough, those are all likely to be owned under the same umbrella, so what real choice do I have if they're all under the same ownership?

Similar things have been happening to mechanics as well.

Something can be a widespread issue without affecting you personally.

Right, and that's exactly the problem we run into that causes comment sections to go endlessly in circles.

If and when I ever write my Highly Opinionated Guide To Comment Section Ettiquette, my #1 rule would be about Dennett's Principle of Charity, but #2 would probably relate to the thing you've identified here. Namely, to the extent possible, try not to resort one-off examples to represent systematic processes.

Typical libertarian response, falls apart at the first sign of complication.

I'm pretty Libertarian myself... the issue, to me, comes from treating companies/corporations as "people" in terms of political speech, etc. I don't think collective groups should be able to donate to political campaigns or non-profits unless they have open books and only take contributions from individuals or orgs that likewise have open books.

I also think that politicians should have to pre-declare by a day or more any financial trades.

Corporations are allowed to exist in a state beyond what an individual can, and as a balance should be very limited in execution and through the past century in particular are anything but. Their power is a grant of govt, and should also be limited. In the end, that's where I stand on it. I'm all for maximizing personal liberty, and even small business allowances. Major companies should be focused on stability with growth or divestment. Foreign owned companies should be more limited even. That just isn't the case today, and it's a shame.