Heres some great quotes from the article:

'However, other businesses won't care if it's the Girl Scouts or March of Dimes. They're going to say: "Why can't I sit out front and solicit business?"'

'He also said he wanted to let the scouts use a small courtyard at the side of the house, but fire officials blocked that move on helath and safety grounds- saying the girls would block an exit from the house.'

If this doesn't show the attitude of these people, then I don't know what will.

This part made me cringe because it smacks of the indoctrination of young minds into obedience: 

"But she says it's important that the girls learn the larger lesson of the change. She says the cookie sales are intended to teach the girls money management, public speaking, customer service and business ethics.

'We try to teach them that in business you have to adjust to things that happen, adapt to the market and follow the law,' she said. 'It's a real-world experience.'"

How ridiculously big? Check out the Washington Post's report on Top Secret Amerika

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/

This is the Washington Post that wrote this, not a black helicopter blog! This is just the tip of the iceberg. I have also heard these stories of secret facilities and the measures taken to keep them concealed...