Folio Weekly 01/21/15

2 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | JANUARY 21-27, 2015

EDITOR’S NOTE

OUR BETTER ANGELS

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y now you’ve probably seen The Daily Show bit that circulated hither and yon last week, in which Jon Stewart, in that classic Jon Stewart way, lit into Ronnie Fussell (though, mercifully, not by name) and the other clerks of court around the state who shut down all wedding ceremonies in their courthouses rather than officiate the weddings of gays and lesbians — a move he deemed, quite correctly, “unbelievably petty, spiteful and vindictive.”

The segment devolved into a montage of funnyish-but-predictable Florida Man jokes, but still, being mocked on such a public stage, and so deservedly at that, left a mark.

This is the problem I wrote about a few weeks ago [Editor’s Note, “Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Queers?” Jeffrey C. Billman, Jan. 7]. Fussell’s petulance will probably affect Northeast Florida’s gays and lesbians less than it will everyone else; they can still get married, after all, and I would imagine that, like straight couples, most wouldn’t opt for courthouse hitching anyway. But in the eyes of those who are paying attention — businesses thinking of relocating here, for instance, and worried about whether they can attract the kinds of young, diverse, creative innovators who will power the 21st century — the impression sticks as a symptom of a larger, more pervasive illness: This is a city out of touch, mired in the muck of past prejudices, unable to compete, unworthy of their attention.

Gay marriage as a political issue may well be over by summer, with the Supreme Court poised to finally and perhaps decisively weigh in. But even if gay marriage becomes the law of the land — as I suspect it will — and even if there’s some sort of accord on Duval County courthouse weddings, as many observers expect, this impression will linger.

No, it’s not entirely fair. This city is in fact changing, is in fact becoming more tolerant and diverse and, well, decent. It was no small thing that Jacksonville elected a black man as mayor four years ago, however fortuitous his victory and whatever you think of the job he’s done since. And it’s no small thing how the community reacted to Fussell’s decision.

Two weeks ago, I put out a call for any notaries, clergy or otherwise-authorized people who are willing to officiate same-sex weddings at or below what the courthouse would have charged ($30), with the promise that I’d print their contact information both in this column and in our forthcoming Book of Love issue. They responded — a lot of them, more than I anticipated, frankly. (I’m sure we’re just scratching the surface here; if your name isn’t listed and you’re willing and able to officiate same-sex weddings, email me pronto.) And they are evidence that Jacksonville isn’t as backward as some of our leaders make us appear.

Here are their names and contact information, in alphabetical order:

Notary public Christa Carey (christa0217@gmail.com).

Jacksonville attorney Ray Forbess Sr. (630 W. Adams St., Downtown, 634-0900); no charge if the couple doesn’t have the funds, but would prefer a $30 donation be made to either First Coast No More Homeless Pets or the Sulzbacher Center.

Avery Garner, pastor of St. Luke’s Community Church of Jacksonville (1140 McDuff Ave. S., Murray Hill, 389-7726); no charge during the rest of 2015 (as his schedule permits), whether the participants want a Christian or secular wedding.

Local attorney and notary Jonathan Grasselle (215 Newnan St., Downtown, 353-6333, jonathan@ wsgraessle.com); no charge, will perform ceremonies in his conference room on the fourth floor of the Old Morocco Temple building, or at Memorial Park in Riverside.

Attorney Liana Rothstein Hood (4417 Beach Blvd., Ste. 104, San Marco, 398-1419, lianarhood@gmail.com); no charge.

The Rev. Dr. Glen Anglin-Ingersoll and Laura Ingersoll (daviga31@gmail.com, laura.r.ingersoll@gmail.com) both hold Internet ordinations; Glen will perform ceremonies in full Scottish regalia if desired.

The impression sticks as a symptom of a larger, more pervasive problem: This is a city out of touch, mired in the muck of past prejudices.

4 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | JANUARY 21-27, 2015

Public notary Jessica Lerner (lernj1055@gmail. com), $30 plus travel, if necessary.

Jennifer O’Donnell at Chamblin’s Uptown (215 N. Laura St., Downtown, 674-0868, jenio63@gmail. com); no charge. Please put “Marriage” in the subject line of your email.

Belkis Plata and Shannon Schott of the law firm Plata Schott Attorneys & Counselors at Law (50 N. Laura St., Ste. 2500, Downtown, 516-5560, shannon@plataschott.com).

Ronald E. Rohrer of River City Legal Support (12789 Kingsley Ave., Orange Park, 356-2347).

The Rev. Teresa “Tea” Rorstrom, an ordained pagan priest (wolfwind20@gmail.com).

Ordained minister Kerry Speckman, aka The Specktator (kerry@thespecktator.com); $30 for the ceremony, though she will donate $5 of that fee to JASMYN. Notary public Shavone E. Steele (shavonesteele@ gmail.com).

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville (7405 Arlington Expwy., 725-8133) will sign marriage certificates for gay and lesbian couples for $30, and will rent out its facilities to same-sex couples at its usual rates.

St. Augustine notary Maureen Welch (maureenmwelch@hotmail.com).

Jeffrey C. Billman twitter/jeffreybillman jbillman@folioweekly.com

FIGHTIN’ WORDS

ALVIN IN THE MIDDLE

In his bid for reelection, Mayor Brown hews to a well-worn centrist path

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he 2011 Alvin Brown campaign was suffused with populist energy, perhaps best epitomized by a tribute song, the Dirty South-inflected “Alvin Brown Song” by the SWAT Team. As Brown prepares for his reelection bid, informed observers tell me the SWAT Team won’t be back for a reprise.

Neither, it seems, will any semblance of that populist energy.

Nonetheless, the campaign is well underway, as evidenced by the blog the mayor’s office posted last week recounting Brown’s last year of accomplishments. Titled “Looking Back on 2014, Ahead to the Future,” it was a valedictory address, a summation not only of achievements but of how the administration expects those achievements to be framed.

In the second paragraph, Brown — not unlike Rick Scott on the campaign trail last year — takes credit for a sharp decline in the unemployment rate, a number he attributes to the public-private partnerships that have been a buzzword of his mayoralty. He touts the September announcement of the GE Oil & Gas facility moving here, “the city’s largest job creation project in more than six years.” (The names of the Republican heavies he joined for the announcement bear note: Ander Crenshaw, Clay Yarborough, and Gov. Scott, with whom Brown has cultivated a relationship that is clearly important to his messaging.)

He highlights the urban renovation initiative Renew Jax, as well as movements his administration has made toward pension reform — still very much an open question, but something his administration can claim as a victory-in-progress. Some, like opponent Bill Bishop, will tell you that it’s a lousy deal, albeit the best that could be attained under the present circumstances. No matter: Brown can claim that we are “closer than ever to a solution.”

In terms of expanding JAXPORT and dredging the St. Johns River to increase its depth and commensurate capability to accommodate bigger ships, Brown positions himself as the ultimate centrist, “proud to have joined a partnership with the St. Johns Riverkeeper, JAX Chamber, and JAXPORT to advance both the economic and environmental health of the river.”

As incumbent politicians do, he also takes credit for (or at least yokes his legacy to) a lot of things that probably would have happened without him.

The revitalization of the long-beleaguered Brooklyn neighborhood has finally begun in earnest, with

some new shopping areas and apartments anchored by The Fresh Market and 220 Riverside apartment complex, respectively.

He also notes his campaign against blight, in concord with Councilwoman E. Denise Lee, as well as the success of Peter Rummell’s One Spark, which “brought tens of thousands to Downtown Jacksonville in April, highlighting our city’s innovative spirit.” And he gives credit to the “bedrock” of our community — the military, which is responsible like no other group for the rapid, metastatic growth that has characterized Jacksonville for decades.

This was a cautious document from a cautious, centrist mayor. Nothing at all wrong with it. No mention of the human rights ordinance, of #IStandWithMOCA, of marriage equality or courthouse weddings (an issue about which he pleaded absolute ignorance in a recent First Coast News interview). But you didn’t expect that, not from Alvin Brown. It was instead a fulfillment of his main pledge: to be nonpartisan, almost to the point where, if you didn’t know better, you’d think he was a Republican.

Brown exists in the tradition of Rep. Charlie Bennett, a legendary Democrat from a bygone era, the kind of Democrat Republicans can tolerate. His supporters will point to a poll from last fall that claims he has a 30 percent approval rating among conservative Republican men.

It remains to be seen if that amount will hold up against Lenny Curry’s forthcoming onslaught. But two former mayoral candidates are telling people — in private conversations, the ones for which blind items will have to suffice — that Lenny has no chance of beating Alvin. They speculate that’s why Curry is messaging so hard right now. To score a knockout before the mayor puts on his gloves.

Brown has told people for months that, rather than running, he’s demonstrating “real leadership” by actually leading. His blog, nominally an informational piece, should be seen as what it is: a distillation of his case for reelection, and a refutation of the Peter Rummell argument that the mayor lacks the necessary “competence” to lead.

AG Gancarski twitter/aggancarski mail@folioweekly.com

JANUARY 21-27, 2015 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 5

NEWS

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK Microbrewers say Big Beer has put them in the crosshairs again

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6 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | JANUARY 21-27, 2015

he war over beer in Florida is once again coming to a head — albeit in a covertly gentle way, according to those who would be most affected. It’s a complicated, technical dispute — full of legalese like “tied house evil” (the practice of selling alcohol directly to consumers, and an actual phrase in Florida statutes), “brew pub exception” and “tourism exception” — but it boils down to this: The big brewers, like Anheuser-Busch and Miller, believe the little guys have been exploiting a loophole in a vaguely written law, and with the craft beer industry gaining an ever-firmer foothold in the suds market, they want the state to do something about it.

Specifically, they want the state to stop giving breweries licenses that enable them to have taprooms until they can get some “clarification” on what the law actually says.

“The point is to ask the department how they apply that particular statute,” says Samantha Padgett, the general counsel for Florida Retail Federation who is handling the petition. “They are giving people an exception in a highly regulated industry without a clear standard about how they can use that exception.”

The existing law is something of an anachronism, forged after Prohibition to regulate the beer industry. As in many other states, the law in Florida creates three tiers of vendors — manufacturers, distributors and retailers — and forbids any business from functioning in more than one tier at a time. In other words, manufacturers cannot sell their products directly to the public, and have to go through distributors and retailers.

But here’s the catch: Over the years, the Florida Legislature has tinkered with that law, most notably with the tourism and brew pub exceptions, which were carved out to enable the Busch Gardens theme park to sell beer on its premises. But these changes weren’t written concisely, so as the craft beer movement grew, scores of breweries filed for, and received, tourism or brew pub exceptions, and are today permitted to sell their beers onsite. (Ostensibly, the ones that received tourism exceptions are considered, for legal purposes, tourist attractions. Brew pub exemptions, meanwhile, are granted to brewers that do not sell more than 10,000 kegs of their product onsite every year.)

Ben Davis, the owner of Intuition Ale Works in Riverside, where the beers are manufactured and sold onsite, says he doesn’t understand why the federation wants to change the rules. Craft brewers — including locals like Green Room Brewing, Bold City Brewery, Engine 15 Brewing Company and others — make only about 7 percent of their beer sales directly.

“Ninety-five percent of our beer is sold through retailers,” says Davis, whose grandfather and several great-uncles founded Winn-Dixie; the family has no connection to the supermarket chain now.

In its petition to the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco

Division, filed last week, the Retail Beverage Council of the Florida Retail Federation Inc. said the law was put into place because, under tied house evil, having direct relationships between manufacturers and retailers “led to excesses such as overly aggressive marketing, monopolistic practices and intemperance,” and “the three-tier system allows for a comprehensive, transparent, accountable, stable and effective regulatory environment.”

So who’s behind this latest move? The craft breweries who spoke with Folio Weekly suspect it’s the wholesalers who are getting cut out of direct-to-consumer sales. The Retail Federation’s Padgett says it mostly represents retailers, specifically its 73 members who sell alcoholic beverages and think these execptions give craft brewers an unfair advantage.

Not only can the craft brewers sell on premises, therefore avoiding both the wholesaler and retailer tiers, they can also sell beer to go, in growlers. This, too, has been a point of contention. Florida is currently one of only three states, along with Mississippi and Idaho, that do not allow half-gallon growlers — 32-ounce growlers and 128-ounce growlers are A-OK, but not 64-ounce — and for the last few years, craft brewers have been fighting to change that. Last year, however, a bill that would have legalized half-gallon growlers was larded up with restrictions on direct-to-consumer sales that craft brewers considered untenable. They ended up fighting and defeating the growler bill.

But then in December, the head of a trade group for Anheuser-Busch announced no-strings-attached support for repealing the growler ban, which seemed to signal a détente of sorts in the ongoing beer war — at least, that is, until this latest petition.

“With the amount of beer that is consumed in the state of Florida, what is consumed in a craft room is such a small amount,” Davis says. “They have this willingness to fight at the expense to their image because in the entire state they want to control every drop of beer. That’s what I would say on the surface is what they are looking to do. In the long term, they are looking at how to change how our taverns operate.”

Padgett says her group isn’t trying to put any of the craft brewers out of business; rather, she says, the rules need to be clarified, whether by DBPR or, most likely, the Legislature. “Our goal is clarity, whether through the department, or however, to make it clearer. That’s where we want to be,” she says. “Go to the legislators. You’re talking about the Legislature.”

Davis — whose company lobbied hard against last year’s efforts to enact restrictions on craft breweries — doesn’t buy it. He says the new petition is just the next step in a fight wholesalers have been waging against companies like his for years.

“They haven’t been able to get it through Tallahassee, so now they’re trying to get through legal means,” he says.

Derek Kinner dkinner@folioweekly.com

adjustments, corrective exercises, nutritional counseling, massage therapy, spinal and postural screenings.

DUNN WELLNESS CENTER 390 9th Ave. N., Jax Beach, 249-1551, dunnwellness.com Drs. Marcus Kampfe and Kim Johnston provide care for symptom relief with massage therapy, herbology.

DYNAMIC BODY THERAPIES 2225 A1A S., Ste. B-1, St. Augustine, 461-9901 Stephanie Joy MacDonald, CFP, LMT, and Glenn Gaffney, LMT, offer kinesis structural integration, massage therapy, craniosacral therapy, Reiki, therapies for stress, pain relief, injury rehab, cancer recovery.

THE ELEMENTS MASSAGE, YOGA & PHYSICAL THERAPY 12795 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 9, Mandarin, 619-1587, elementsoftherapy.com 13740 Beach Blvd., Ste. 105, Intracoastal, 337-4159 Massages: hot-stone, deep tissue, sports, Swedish; facials, physical therapy, core-building yoga classes.

Major insurances accepted.

FAMILY ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC 10175 Fortune Pkwy., Ste. 304, Southside, 880-1889, familyacupunctureclinic.com Dr. Xiao Lu Luo, AP, DOM, has traditional Chinese medicine and integrative TCM and Western medicine training and clinical experience, specializing in pain management and migraine, infertility, addiction, smoking cessation.

HAAS CHIROPRACTIC & NUTRITION CENTER 11481 Old St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 405, Julington Creek, 260-1993, haasfamilychiropractic.com Dr. Haas treats migraine, neck and low back and fibromyalgia pain, using nutritional response testing.

Gentle spinal adjustments, rehabilitation, detoxification.

SCOTT HARTSFIELD, LMT, CPT, 745-1900 Licensed massage therapist and certified personal trainer Hartsfield offers Reiki, reflexology, massage. Studio, outcalls.

MURIEL HATTORI, LMT 674-4772; hattori888@comcast.net Hattori specializes in sports, relaxation, therapeutic and deep tissue massage, based on Asian and energy techniques, including Tui Na, Gua Sha, Shiatsu and Thai.

HEALING EDGE MASSAGE THERAPY 2720 Park St., Riverside, 610-9507 Heather Edge offers neuromuscular therapy, deep-tissue, Swedish and sports massage, relaxation therapy, acute/ chronic pain relief.

HEALING MASSAGE OF PONTE VEDRA 13000 Sawgrass Village Cir., 874-8613, pvmassage.com Emily Polatas, a licensed massage therapist, draws from appropriate techniques for clients.

HEALTH POINTE JACKSONVILLE 3840 Belfort Rd., Ste. 305, , 448-0046, hpjax.com The acupuncture and wellness clinic offers acupuncture, Chinese medicine, therapeutic massage, infrared sauna treatments, nutritional counseling, sports rehab, pain management, fertility assistance.

HERITAGE INSTITUTE 4130 Salisbury Rd. N., 332-0910, heritage-education.com A massage-therapy school offers a comprehensive curriculum, extensive hands-on training, student massages, including Swedish, deep-tissue, sports and neuromuscular, in full or half sessions.

HONEYSETT ACUPUNCTURE 1050 Riverside, 304-5011, honeysettacupuncture.com In Silver Chiropractic & Wellness Building, licensed acupuncture physician Haley Honeysett, A.P., provides effective treatments, utilizing traditional Chinese medicine in a modern clinic, treating a range of conditions including pain management, stress, infertility, weight loss, migraines, sports injuries.

ISELBORN CHIROPRACTIC & SPORTS MEDICINE 3355 Hendricks Ave., San Marco, 731-3000, paincenterjax.com Dr. Anthony Iselborn treats sports and work-related injuries. Wellness care includes chiropractic adjustment, soft-tissue techniques, physiotherapy, acupuncture, massage, rehab exercise, nutritional support.

ISLAND REFLEXOLOGY 2382 Sadler Rd., Fernandina, 548-7111 Elke Schreiber, LMT, offers foot reflexology and Swedish massage at her studio, or in clients’ homes or offices.

JACKSONVILLE ACUPUNCTURE CLINIC 9066 Cypress Green Dr., Southside, 260-2598, jacksonvilleacupunctureclinic.com Licensed acupuncture physicians offer therapy and custom-made herbal medicine.

JAX BEACH CHIROPRACTIC 2441 3rd St. S., Jax Beach, 372-0623, jaxbeachchiro.com Dr. Edgar Vesce uses diagnostic tools and a multidisciplinary approach to chiropractic care, massage therapy, rehabilitation exercise, decompression therapy.

JULINGTON CREEK CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTER, PA 485 S.R. 13, Ste. 3, 230-0080, julingtoncreekchiro.com

Dr. Thomas Lahmann, certified in American Medical Association Guidelines for permanent impairment evaluations, uses chiropractic care, kinesiology and physical therapy modalities ultrasound, decompression, muscle stimulation to heal new or chronic injuries.

KAM LEE ADVANCED ACUPUNCTURE CENTER 1835 East-West Pkwy., Ste. 5, Fleming Island, 215-6111, kamleeacupuncture.com Specializing in Chinese balance method of acupuncture therapy for pain, using traditional herbal medicines, tai chi, kung fu.

Services: nutritional therapy, N.A.E.T. allergy relief, self-defense, fitness classes.

KRISTOL HEALING CENTER 2427 University Blvd. W., Lakewood, 739-5808, kristolhealingcenter.com Mariellen Kristol, AP, doctor of Oriental medicine, and Bruce Kristol, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist and psychospiritual counselor, offer acupuncture, Chinese medical herbs, healing.

Counseling, hypnosis, past-life regression.

KUDOS MASSAGE THERAPY 525 Fourth St. N., Jax Beach, 6089690 Pedro Figueroa has been practicing the art of massage for nearly 30 years.

Fully licensed, he and his therapists offer deep tissue, myofascial, pregnancy, sports, Swedish and trigger point massages.

JANE LANGFORD, LMT 3932 San Jose Park Dr., Mandarin, 737-0312 Langford offers therapeutic massage, Huma and Rosen Method bodywork, for areas of chronic stress and injury.

DR. DONALD LOWERY 831-A Third St. N., Jax Beach, 339-0555, doctorlowery.com Licensed chiropractic physician Lowery offers therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, nutritional counseling, hypno-birthing classes, accident rehabilitation.

MANDARIN HEALING CENTER INC. 12627 San Jose, Ste. 504, 240-5927, art-of-healing.net Licensed acupuncturist Felicia Dyess, A.P., offers holistic healthcare through acupuncture, herbal therapy, nutritional and lifestyle counseling. Some insurances accepted.

MASSAGE ENVY 865 Hibernia Rd., Ste. 103, Fleming Island, 529-7170, massageenvy.com 6331 Roosevelt Blvd., Ste. 8, Ortega, 224-5405 13820 St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 157, Julington, 262-5585 13475 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 18, Intracoastal, 394-2500 4375 Southside Blvd., Ste. 10, Tinseltown, 483-2233 3940 Third St. S., Jax Beach, 746-4440 Swedish, deep tissue, sports, prenatal, trigger point, cranial-sacral and reflexology massage; facials, environmental exposure and sensitive skin.

MASSAGE FIRST 3864 San Jose Park Dr., Mandarin, 737-8552 Neuromuscular, deep tissue and myofascial therapies for soft tissue pain. Acupuncture, chiropractic, laser available.

Most insurances, PIP accepted.

MASSAGE HEIGHTS 4866 Big Island Dr., 400-7777, massageheights.com 725 Nautica Dr., Ste. 104, 677-5149 Therapeutic massage with aromatherapy, hot stone therapy, peppermint foot scrub, hot towel cold stone face massage by experienced, licensed massage therapists.

McGOWAN SPINAL REHABILITATION CLINIC 4617 Brentwood Ave., 350-5544, mcgowansrc.com Relief from accidents, sports injury, soft-tissue injury, chronic pain. Onsite diagnostics. Accepts auto insurance.

McGUFFIN SMITH CHIROPRACTIC 1123 Third St. N., Jax Beach, 372-0322, mcguffinsmithchiros.com Drs. Suzy McGuffin and Sean Smith use diversified, Thompson, sacro-occipital, activator, toggle and extremity adjustments to treat pain management.

MIND BODY SPIRIT WELLNESS CENTER 13121 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 4, Southside, 220-6461, mbsjax.com 12400 Yellow Bluff Rd., Ste. 108, Northside, 751-1040 Acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy. Full-service day spa specializes in hair, skin, nail care.

MONAHAN MEDICAL & CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC 419-A Anastasia Blvd., St. Augustine, 824-8353 Traditional and alternative care for whiplash, accidents, headaches, sciatica/radiating pain. Laser, oral and IV chelation, hormonal balance, myofascial pain/fibromyalgia treatment, nutrition, hyperbaric chamber, massage.

CAROLYN MUDGETTE, LMT 2180 A1A S., Ste. 203, St. Augustine, 461-5699 Mudgette, nationally certified in therapeutic massage and bodywork, incorporates Swedish, deep tissue, neuromuscular massage, structural energetic therapy.

OPACHICH WELLNESS CENTER 1610 Blanding Blvd., Westside, 387-4151, allergifree.com Dr. Patrick Opachich, chiropractic orthopedic specialist, offers care for spinal problems, counsels on nutrition, diet and weight control, using a holistic, drug-free approach.

Massage therapy, allergy elimination.

JANUARY 21-27, 2015 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 9

1783, firstcoastymca.org First Coast YMCAs offer aerobics, dance, circuit training, cycling, yoga, strength training, diabetes programs, health screenings, massage therapy, stroke wellness, swim lessons, lifeguard training, aqua aerobics. Sports leagues and workshops, too.

HEALTH FOOD & NUTRITION

BIO-MAX HEALTH FOOD & WELLNESS 299 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 1, Atlantic Beach, 246-1634, facebook.com/biomaxstore Nutritional and health food, vitamins, supplements, herbs, sports nutrition products, organic fruits, vegetables, gluten-free items, alternative breads, pastas.

THE GRANARY WHOLE FOODS 1738 Kingsley Ave., Orange Park, 269-7222, thegranarywholefoods.com Offering bulk foods, herbs, spices, organic produce, frozen foods, groceries, natural health/beauty items, household products, vitamins, herbs and homeopathic remedies.

Classes in Pilates, yoga, tai chi.

GRASSROOTS NATURAL MARKET 2007 Park St., Riverside, 384-4474, thegrassrootsnaturalmarket.com GRASSROOTS NATURAL MARKET II 1915 East-West Pkwy., Fleming Island, 541-0009, grassrootsnaturalfoods.com Fresh produce, herbs, vitamins, frozen food, juice/ smoothie bar, gourmet cheeses, natural and organic items, supplements. Craft beers, organic wines, readymade take-away meals are available at the Riverside store. Both stores open daily.

GREEN MAN GOURMET 3543 St. Johns Ave., Avondale, 384-0002, greenmangourmet.com Organic and natural products, spices, blends, salts, teas, beer and wine, dairy, culinary accessories; wine and cheese samplings.

JAX SPORTS NUTRITION 13475 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 37, Intracoastal, 220-2833, myjaxnutrition.com 9823 Tapestry Park Cir., Ste. 14, 374-4708 Jax Sports provides more than 2,000 quality health products and nutrition supplements, sports nutrition and wellness information.

MANATEE CAFÉ 525 S.R. 16, Ste. 106, St. Augustine, 826-0210 Owner/chef Cheryl Crosley prepares organic, vegetarian meals: veggie omelets, veggie pitas, burritos, tofu Reubens, miso and vegetable soup, hummus, tabouli. The Health Food Market offers the same ingredients used in the cafe’s dishes.

NASSAU HEALTH FOODS 833 TJ Courson Rd., Fernandina Beach, 277-3158, nassauhealthfoods.net Locally owned and operated; complete natural foods store. Items for homeopathy, aromatherapy and sports nutrition, large selection of national brand supplements, bulk foods, body care products, 21-day raw food challenge. Organic produce, frozen foods, vegetarian items, in-store café. Open Mon.-Sat. NATIVE SUN NATURAL FOODS 10000 San Jose Blvd., Mandarin, 260-6950, 11030 Baymeadows Rd., 269-2791, nativesunjax.com Extensive selection of all-natural, organic vitamins and supplements, essential fatty acids, greens, herbs; products for homeopathy, beauty care, weight loss.

Organic and natural products and produce are free of GMOs, preservatives, chemicals, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors/flavors, nitrates, antibiotics, growth hormones.

NATURAL MEDICINE STORE 1891 Beach Blvd., Ste. 100, Jax Beach, 249-4372 A natural health food store offering a complete line of vitamin supplements, herbs, organic foods, aromatherapy items, natural cosmetics, organic wine, homeopathic products, natural hormone replacement alternatives.

PALMETTO ORGANICS 115 Orange St., Neptune Beach, 534-7027, palmettoorganics.com Member-based organic produce home-delivery company passionate about health benefits of organic produce.

PLANET SMOOTHIE 1547 University Blvd. W., Ste. 1, Lakewood, 419-6161 2245 Plantation Center Dr., Orange Park, 215-0350 1540 Wells Rd., Ste. 9, Orange Park, 278-3131 4495 Roosevelt Blvd., Ste. 405, Jacksonville, 388-4156 Fruit and juice smoothies to which customers add nutritional products to promote energy, wellness, protein or weight loss. Lakewood and Orange Park locations offer wrap sandwiches. Open daily.

THE PRESENT MOMENT CAFÉ 224 W. King St., St. Augustine, 827-4499, thepresentmomentcafe.com Raw, organic, vegan, vegetarian dishes, prepared without meat, dairy or oven. Beer and organic wines are also served. Take-out available.

PULP JUICE BAR 1962 San Marco Blvd., San Marco, 396-9222, pulpaddiction.com Freshly blended, all-natural, offering a variety of healthy, natural juices, frozen yogurt, smoothies and coffees with no syrups, packets, additives, sprays or pumps.

SMOOTHIE KING 13770 Beach Blvd., Southside, 821-1771 13457 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 1, Southside, 221-1299 1661 Riverside Ave., Riverside, 389-0011 4624 Town Crossing Dr., 996-2889 790 Skymarks Dr., Northside, 527-8329 9810 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 4A, Southside, 642-1777 1835 U.S. 1 S., Ste. 113, St. Augustine, 825-6770 1020 Third St. S., Jax Beach, 246-6336 445 S.R. 13, Julington Creek, 230-3193 Most smoothies have no fat and few calories. Energy and strength-building ingredients may be added upon request.

Vitamins, herbs, diet aids and health foods.

TEA HAUS 353 Sixth Ave. S., Jax Beach, 803-1407, teahausjax.com The tea-tenders here offer an organic array of spirited classic teas: green, black, oolong, white, roobus and puerh, as well as seasonal teas, fresh juices, haus kefir and gluten-free vegan dishes. Not just a tea lounge – there’s a holistic walk-in clinic providing herbal prescriptions to improve one’s well-being. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. WEISE NATURAL FOOD SHOPPE & PRESCRIPTION SHOP 4343 Colonial Ave., Jacksonville, 388-1564, 384-4642 Pharmacists consult in nutrition, fitness, homeopathic, veterinary products. Weise features a drive-through window, juice bar, parking. Massage therapy and individual nutritional programs.

WHOLE FOODS MARKET 10601 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 22, Mandarin, 288-1100, wholefoodsmarket.com More than 100 prepared items at a full-service and self-service hot bar, salad bar, soup bar, dessert bar. The Whole Body Department has natural body care items, cosmetics, nutritional supplements, vitamins, all free of chemicals and fillers.

HOLISTIC CARE & NATURAL THERAPIES

ALLERGY ASTHMA 4131 University Blvd. S., Ste. A-4, Southside,733-6487, khona.com Dr. Tracy Sinha Khona treats allergies, asthma and hives.

ALTERNATIVE WELLNESS CENTER 1122 Third St., Ste. 1, Neptune Beach, 241-5566, nikilamont.com Professional wellness coach Niki LaMont helps accelerate potential, using hypnosis, energy, color therapy.

AWAKENING SPIRIT MASSAGE & WELLNESS 246 Third St. N., Jax Beach, 242-8998, awakeningspiritmassage.com 8380 Baymeadows Rd., Southside, 731-2700 254 Third St., Neptune Beach, 249-7500 The spiritually oriented holistic living centers offer massage, sound healing, Entopan energy healing, yoga, meditation, chakra balancing.

BACK TO BALANCE AYURVEDA 1807 Penman Rd. N., Neptune Beach, 372-3543, backtobalanceayurveda.com By utilizing simple, practical and affordable methods such as diet, routine, oils, meditation and yoga, a practitioner can prevent imbalances and begin to heal.

BEACHES ACU-MEDICAL CENTER 4745 Sutton Park Court, Ste. 503, Southside, 821-9535, beachesacumedical.com Blending Chinese medicine with modern science, Toni Krehel, AP, uses frequency-specific microcurrent with herbs, homeopathy, iridology and kinesiology to help those with difficult-to-treat chronic illness.

BODYWISE STUDIOS 2706 Old Moultrie Rd., St. Augustine, 794-6760, bodywise.ent Pilates studio and center for well-being with a holistic approach to physical therapy and fitness. Individual and shared sessions, certified Pilates instructors.

CHOISSER HYPERBARIC 2140 Kingsley Ave., Ste. 9, Orange Park, 375-2070, choisserhyperbarics.com Hyperbaric oxygen therapy delivers 100 percent oxygen within a pressurized chamber to treat autism, dementia, diabetes, wound care, other ailments.

MARJORIE DICKINSON, LMT, 945-4540, marjorielmt. blogspot.com Dickinson is a certified reflexologist, therapeutic bodyworker.

DOME HEALING CENTER 5024 First Coast Hwy., Fernandina, 277-3663, domehealingcenter.com Cindy and Don Murphy offer holistic massage therapy, craniosacral massage, foot reflexology, yoga, meditation, deep cleansing facials.

THE ESSENTIAL WELLNESS CENTER 13400 Sutton Park Dr. S., Ste. 1502, 223-6882, theessentialwellnescenter.com Sharon Knapp, LMT, CNMT, offers craniosacral, somatoemotional release and neuromuscular therapies.

HEALER ONE 1122 Third St., Ste. 1, Neptune Beach, 242-0012, healeronejax.com Owner Carol Meyer, a Brennan Energy practitioner, is a certified Transformational Breath Facilitator. Private sessions, workshops, groups available.

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JANUARY 21-27, 2015 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 17

THE KNIFE

THE REAL NEW WAVE S urf music — real surf music — is hard to come by these days. Even when surf music was a thing, it was bastardized by the popular market. For every Dick Dale or Link Wray there was a Jan and Dean or Bruce and Terry. There were middle-of the-roaders, too, like the Beach Boys’ very serviceable hot rod rock, but for pure, twangy, reverb-laden surf instrumentals, you had to go deep.

In the recent past, bands like Man Or Astro Man?, Los Straightjackets, The Vulcanos and others have kept the genre alive. Are hipsters listening to it? Probably not, unless, of course, it’s coupled with some fancy latte variation or low-end craft beer. But the importance of surf music can’t be understated. It offers a connection to the earliest days of rock-’n’-roll, when Buddy Holly was inventing rockabilly and Chuck Berry hadn’t yet shot any secret videos. It also was one of the few popular music forms that thrived with absolutely no vocals. It functioned as a soundtrack or sorts; no other popular form can claim that.

In keeping with tradition, Jacksonville’s Shoot the Pier has recently released a new, albeit brief, collection of original surf rock on vinyl. For the purposes of this column, we will harken back to their 2011 CD release, Low Hangs the Moon, as well as grab a listen of the new three-song vinyl EP. Shoot the Pier is, mainly, father/daughter team Bill and Ellie Sims, along with various local players who work both in the studio and live with the band.

This is what they do.

A listen to Low Hangs the Moon should leave no doubt as to the Sims’ direction. “The Poles” could easily be a Ventures tune, with that familiar twang set against that familiar ’50s gangster groove. Add a little moody synth and some whammy bar bends, and it’s as authentic as one could expect. “Green Room Meditation,” track 2 on Moon, is a bit more spacy, bordering on psychedelic surf. The title track is a thick, beefy number, with distortion and synths filling the spaces. It wanders a bit

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from the format here, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But it’s the least authentic of the bunch. “Surfer Lost,” however, is a wonderfully creepy slow drip of Tarantino-esque Tex-Mex surf. Very nice.

The closer of Low Hangs the Moon is a mellow paddle-out, depicting, as the title suggests, “Emily sitting on her board waiting for one last wave reflecting on the day.” There are even bongos on this track. It’s a nice conclusion to an album that should have been longer. Which brings us to …

The more recent untitled vinyl release. Too short, in my opinion, the EP only features three songs, one of which (Side B) is the aforementioned “Low Hangs the Moon.” But Side A offers two very nice tracks.

“Waves in the Mist” is a smooth surf ballad, with distant, roomy drums and a Dick Dale-ish low-stringed guitar melody. The unpredictable twist at the end of the bridge sets this one off a bit from earlier Shoot the Pier stuff, and it’s a welcome surprise. Maybe this is the wave they’ll be surfing on future recordings.

But of all the songs discussed here, the most-lovely “Missing Summer” is king.

A gorgeous, piano-backed piece with a nice double guitar melody, “Missed Summer” is just, well, gorgeous. Does the piano subtract from the authentic “surf rock” feel? Maybe, but who gives a flip? This is a beautiful, rolling surf song that sets a melancholic tone, like a sweet sunset on a whispering beach somewhere in the back of your mind. OK, that may be a little too sentimental a description, but it’s an easy tune to get lost in.

If you get a chance to see Shoot the Pier live, do so. I plan on it, as I would love to hear this stuff rendered by players in a club. Hopefully a dark, dank club, with a handful of surf music aficionados. If there are any left.

Are you out there?

John E. Citrone theknife@folioweekly.com

Listen to or pick up Shoot the Pier at reverbnation. com/shootthepier.

DINING DIRECTORY THE SHEIK, 7361 103rd St., 778-4805. 5172 Normandy Blvd., 786-7641. SEE ARLINGTON. SUN-RAY CINEMA, 1028 Park St., 359-0049. F Beer (Bold City, Intuition), wine, pizza, hot dogs, hummus, sandwiches, popcorn, nachos, brownies. $$ BW Daily SUSHI CAFÉ, 2025 Riverside Ave., Ste. 204, 384-2888, sushicafejacksonville.com. Sushi variety: Monster Roll, Jimmy Smith Roll; faves Rock-n-Roll, Dynamite Roll.

Hibachi, tempura, katsu, teriyaki. Indoor or patio. $$ BW L D Daily

ST. AUGUSTINE

AL’S PIZZA, 1 St. George St., 824-4383. F SEE BEACHES. AVILES, 32 Avenida Menendez, 829-2277 F Hilton Bayfront. Progressive European menu; made-to-order pasta night, wine dinners, chophouse nights, breakfast buffet.

Sun. champagne brunch bottomless mimosas. $$$ FB K B L D Daily CARMELO’S Marketplace & Pizzeria, 146 King St., 494-6658, carmelosmarketplace.com. F NY-style gourmet brick-oven-baked pizza, fresh rolls, Boar’s Head meats, cheeses, garlic herb wings. Outdoor dining, Wi-Fi. $$ BW TO L D Daily CLAUDE’S CHOCOLATE, 6 Granada St., 829-5790. In The Market. Wine and chocolate pairings, soft-serve ice cream, coffee bar, fresh fruit ice pops, cookies. $$ TO THE FLORIDIAN, 39 Cordova St., 829-0655, thefloridian staug.com. Updated Southern fare; fresh ingredients.

Vegetarian, gluten-free. Fried green tomato bruschetta, grits with shrimp, fish or tofu. $$$ BW K TO L D Wed.-Mon. GYPSY CAB COMPANY, 828 Anastasia Blvd., 824-8244, gypsycab.com. F A mainstay for 25+ years, Gypsy’s menu changes twice daily. Signature dish: Gypsy chicken. Seafood, tofu, duck, veal. Sun. brunch. $$ FB R Sun.; L D Daily THE ICE PLANT BAR, 110 Riberia St., 829-6553, iceplantbar.com. Farm-to-table, locally sourced fare, hand-crafted drinks, house-made bitters, syrups. $$$ FB TO D Nightly MELLOW MUSHROOM, 410 Anastasia Blvd., 826-4040.

F Bite Club. BOJ winner. SEE BEACHES. MOJO OLD CITY BBQ, 5 Cordova, 342-5264. F BOJ winner. SEE BEACHES. PACIFIC ASIAN BISTRO, 159 Palencia Village Dr., Ste. 111, 808-1818, pacificasianbistro.com. F Chef Mas Lui creates 30+ sushi rolls; fresh sea scallops, Hawaiian-style poke tuna salad. Sake. $$-$$$ BW L D Daily SALT LIFE FOOD SHACK, 321 A1A Beach Blvd., 217-3256, saltlifefoodshack.com. BOJ winner. SEE BEACHES. TEMPO, 16 Cathedral Place, 547-0240. Latin American fusion wine bar and restaurant offers traditional American fare with a Latin flair; sandwiches, too. $$ BW L D Tue.-Sun.

ST. JOHNS TOWN CENTER

BENTO CAFE Asian Kitchen & Sushi, 4860 Big Island Dr., Ste. 1, 564-9494, bentocafesushi.com. Pan-Asian, wok stir-fry, fire-grilled, sushi bar. $$ K FB TO L D Daily MOXIE KITCHEN+COCKTAILS, 4972 Big Island Dr., 998-9744, moxiefl.com. BOJ winner. Chef Tom Gray does contemporary American cuisine – seafood, steaks, pork, burgers – locally sourced when possible. $$$ FB K L Mon.-Fri.; D Nightly M SHACK, 10281 Midtown Pkwy., 642-5000, mshackburgers.com. F BOJ winner. SEE BEACHES. OVINTE, 10208 Buckhead Branch Dr., 900-7730, ovinte. com. European-style dining with influences from Italy, Spain and the Mediterranean. Choose small plates, entréesized portions or selections from the cheese a charcuterie menu. $$$ BW TO R D Daily

SAN MARCO, SOUTHBANK

BASIL THAI & SUSHI, 1004 Hendricks Ave., 674-0190, basilthaijax.com. F Authentic dishes: Pad Thai, curries, sashimi, fresh sushi, daily specials. $$ FB L D Mon.-Sat. BISTRO AIX, 1440 San Marco Blvd., 398-1949, bistrox. com. Mediterranean and French inspired cuisine includes steak frites, oak-fired pizza and a new raw bar with seasonal selections. $$$ FB TO L D Daily DICK’S WINGS, 1610 University Blvd. W., 448-2110. BOJ winner. SEE PONTE VEDRA. FUSION SUSHI, 1550 University Blvd. W., 636-8688, fusionsushijax.com. F Upscale sushi spot serves a variety of fresh sushi, sashimi, hibachi, teriyaki, kiatsu. $$ K L D Daily THE GROTTO Wine & Tapas Bar, 2012 San Marco Blvd., 398-0726. F Artisanal cheese plates, empanadas, bruschetta, cheesecake. 60+ wines by the glass. $$$ BW Tue.-Sun. HAMBURGER MARY’S Bar & Grille, 3333 Beach Blvd., Ste. 1, 551-2048, hamburgermarys.com. Wings, sammies, nachos, entrées, specialty drinks, burgers. $$ K TO FB L D Daily LA NOPALERA, 1631 Hendricks, 399-1768. F BOJ winner. SEE MANDARIN. MATTHEW’S, 2107 Hendricks Ave., 396-9922, matthews restaurant.com. Chef Matthew Medure’s flagship. Fine dining, artfully presented cuisine, small plates, martini/ wine lists. Happy hour Mon.-Fri. Reservations. $$$$ FB D Mon.-Sat.

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METRO DINER, 3302 Hendricks Ave., 398-3701, metrodiner.com. F BOJ winner. Original upscale diner.

Meatloaf, chicken pot pie, soups. $$ B R L Daily MOJO BAR-B-QUE, 1607 University Blvd. W., 732-7200.

F BOJ winner. SEE BEACHES. PIZZA PALACE, 1959 San Marco, 399-8815. F SEE BAYMEADOWS.

PULP, 1962 San Marco Blvd., 396-9222, pulpaddiction. com. The juice bar offers fresh juices, frozen yogurt, teas, coffees, 30 kinds of smoothies. $ TO B L D Daily TAVERNA, 1986 San Marco, 398-3005, tavernasanmarco. com. Chef Sam Efron’s authentic Italian; local produce, meats. Craft beers, handcrafted cocktails. $$$ FB K TO R L D Daily

SOUTHSIDE, TINSELTOWN

360° GRILLE, Latitude 360, 10370 Philips Hwy., 365-5555, latitude360.com. F Seafood, steaks, burgers, chicken, sandwiches, pizza. Patio, movie theater. $$ FB TO L D Daily AKEL’S, 7077 Bonneval Rd., 332-8700. F SEE DOWNTOWN. ALHAMBRA THEATRE & Dining, 12000 Beach Blvd., 641-1212, alhambrajax.com. USA’s longest-running dinner theater; Chef DeJuan Roy’s themed menus. Reservations. $$ FB D Tue.-Sun. BARBERITOS, 4320 Deerwood Lake Pkwy., Ste. 106, 807-9060. SEE AMELIA ISLAND. BENTO CAFE Asian Kitchen & Sushi, 9734 Deer Lake Ct., Ste. 11, 503-3238. SEE ST. JOHNS TOWN CENTER. CASA MARIA, 14965 Old St. Augustine, 619-8186. SEE BEACHES

DANCIN DRAGON, 9041 Southside Blvd., Ste. 138D, 363-9888. BOGO lunches and an Asian fusion menu. $$ FB K L D Daily DICK’S WINGS, 10750 Atlantic Blvd., 619-0954. BOJ winner. SEE PONTE VEDRA. THE DIM SUM ROOM, 9041 Southside, Ste. 138D, 363-9888, thedimsumroom.com. Shrimp dumplings, beef tripe, sesame ball. Traditional Hong Kong noodles, barbecue. $ FB K L D Daily EUROPEAN STREET, 5500 Beach Blvd., 398-1717. BOJ winner. SEE RIVERSIDE. HZ CAFE, 6426 Bowden Rd., Ste. 206, 527-1078.

Healthy concept cafe: juices, smoothies, traditional vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free meals and desserts. $ K TO B L Mon.-Fri. LARRY’S SUBS, 3611 St. Johns Bluff S., 641-6499. 4479 Deerwood Lake Pkwy., 425-4060. F SEE ORANGE PARK. MELLOW MUSHROOM, 9734 Deer Lake Ct., 997-1955. F Bite Club. BOJ winner. SEE BEACHES. MONROE’S Smokehouse BAR B-Q, 10771 Beach Blvd., 996-7900, monroessmokehousebbq.com. SEE RIVERSIDE. PAPI CHULO’S, 9726 Touchton Rd., Ste. 105, 329-1763, ilovepapichulos.com. Tinseltown restaurant offers fresh, authentic Mexican street food, top-shelf tequilas, specialty drinks. Kids eat free. $$ K FB L D Daily THE PIG BAR-B-Q, 11925 Beach Blvd., Ste. 5, 619-0321, thepigbarbq.com. This fourth-generation barbecue institution has been family-owned for 60+ years. The signature item is mustard-based “pig sauce.” $ BW K TO B, L D Daily SEVEN BRIDGES Grille & Brewery, 9735 Gate Pkwy., 997-1999, 7bridgesgrille.com. F Local seafood, steaks, pizzas. Brewer Aaron Nesbit handcrafts ales, lagers. $$ FB K TO L D Daily TAVERNA YAMAS, 9753 Deer Lake Ct., 854-0426, tavernayamas.com. F Bite Club. Char-broiled kabobs, seafood, wines, desserts. Belly dancing. $$ FB K L D Daily TOMMY’S Brick Oven Pizza, 4160 Southside, Ste. 2, 565-1999, tbopizza.com. New York-style thin crust, brickoven-baked pizzas (gluten-free), calzones, sandwiches.

Boylan’s soda. Curbside pick-up. $$ BW TO L D Mon.-Sat. THE VISCONDE’S Argentinian Grill, 11925 Beach Blvd., Ste. 201, 379-3925. The area’s only Argentinian place.

Traditional steaks, varieties of sausages, pasta, sandwiches, empañadas, wines. $$$ BW TO L D Tue.-Sun. WORLD OF BEER, 9700 Deer Lake Court, Ste. 1, 551-5929, worldofbeer.com. F Burgers, sliders,flatbreads, German pretzels, hummus, pickle chips. Craft German, Cali, Florida, Irish drafts. Wines. $$ BW L D Daily

SPRINGFIELD, NORTHSIDE

HOLA Mexican Restaurant, 1001 N. Main St., 356-3100, holamexicanrestaurant.com. F Fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, daily specials. Happy hour; sangria. $ BW K TO L D Mon.-Sat. LARRY’S SUBS, 12001 Lem Turner Rd., 764-9999. SEE ORANGE PARK.

SAVANNAH BISTRO, 14670 Duval Rd., 741-4404. F Low Country Southern fare, taste of Mediterranean and French.

Crowne Plaza Airport. Crab cakes, NY strip, she crab soup, mahi mahi. $$$ FB K B L D Daily THE SHEIK, 2708 N. Main St., 353-8181. SEE ARLINGTON. UPTOWN MARKET, 1303 Main St. N., 355-0734, uptown marketjax.com. Bite Club. Fresh quality fare; farm-totable selections, daily specials. $$ BW TO B L Daily

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BACKPAGE EDITORIAL

THE

DEMOCRACY DEFICIT

How the corporate elite control our democratic processes to their own ends, in Jacksonville and nationwide.

E

veryone has heard about the problem of budget deficits, but there is a far more insidious deficit that receives very little media coverage: the democracy deficit. Once you open your eyes, it is hard to miss.

If you ask Americans today, they would be hard-pressed to describe the United States as a true democracy. The accumulated evidence suggests, instead, a society where the wealthy few have disproportionate political power and economic advantage over the many, with the gap continuing to widen. This is usually referred to as a plutocracy or an oligarchy, but not a democracy.

One does not have to rely on the arguments of left-wing radicals to find evidence for the democracy deficit. A mainstream political science analysis, conducted by Martin Gilens and Benjamin Page, concludes: “Economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence … . We believe that if policymaking is dominated by powerful business organizations and a small number of affluent Americans, then America’s claims to being a democratic society are seriously threatened.”

For many, this research simply confirms what they have known or suspected all along.

In an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll in 2012, 76 percent of Americans agreed or strongly agreed with the following statement: “The current economic structure of the country is out of balance and favors a very small proportion of the rich over the rest of the country. America needs to reduce the power of major banks and corporations and demand greater accountability and transparency. The government should not provide financial aid to corporations and should not provide tax breaks to the rich.”

When average Americans are asked about democracy, they typically point to voting and political parties as the foundation.

But in the United States today, the electoral system hardly qualifies as a model of democratic choice. Despite the rhetoric of political polarization, the two parties have actually been moving in the same direction over the past 30-plus years — that is, toward the right-wing pole on the ideological spectrum. It just happens that the Republicans had a head start and are moving at greater speed, fueled by corporate financial support. The net result is two Republican parties (Florida is actually a pacesetter for this one-party trend, represented by the recent gubernatorial choice between two Republicans, Rick Scott and Charlie Crist), neither of which offers any significant substantive alternative to the current political-economic setup; both are equally dependent upon and controlled by corporate interests. As a consequence, the policies of both parties have contributed to an increasingly unequal distribution of income and wealth since the 1980s. As

Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis observed: “We can either have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.”

But the wealthy are not taking any chances. If you are a member of the 1 percent, and believe that the growing inequality might at some point generate a radical political response by the many, you would be wise to try to neutralize the potential oneperson, one-vote power of the 99 percent. This could be done if private corporations were granted citizenship rights (or, in the words of Mitt Romney, “corporations are people”), if campaign spending was defined as a form of free speech, and if restrictions on an individual’s total campaign contributions were removed.

Hence, political participation would be determined by a new principle — one dollar, one vote. As it turns out, this has all been effectively accomplished with two recent Supreme Court

This seductive neoliberal ideology remains stubbornly immune to the empirical counterevidence of the past 30 years. decisions: Citizens United and McCutcheon.

Under this new arrangement it is difficult to imagine how any potential candidate for political office could be viable without the support of the wealthy, on whose checkbook he or she will depend in order to fund a successful campaign. While in Hong Kong, pro-democracy forces are protesting Communist Party control over the pre-screening of candidates for their chief executive, here in the United States there is, unfortunately, no comparable protest despite what is a de facto pre-screening of candidates by the corporate elite.

But no system of elite control can rest on the flow of material support or control of the electoral machinery alone. It is also important for the elite to develop an ideology that dictates public policies benefiting private corporate interests under the guise of the general interest. This has been effectively accomplished by neoliberal or supply-side political-economic doctrine, which has “cognitively captured” almost all public officials, Democrat and Republican alike. Its fundamental premise is that any policy that privileges private corporate interests — i.e., creates a favorable business climate — will advance the cause of freedom, liberty, economic growth and job creation, and therefore contribute to the common good (remember “trickle-down”). This seductive

neoliberal ideology remains stubbornly immune to the empirical counterevidence of the past 30 years.

As a self-evident truth, it substitutes for substantive democratic debate and discourse and, as a consequence, demobilizes citizen participation in the policymaking process.

There is no reason to consult or engage the larger citizenry when there is an elite consensus that economic development and progress requires showering the private sector with tax breaks, incentives and subsidies. These are often described, innocuously, as “public-private partnerships,” but in many cases they amount to little more than private gain at public expense.

Closer to home in Jacksonville, the democracy deficit can take a number of forms.

On the mayoral front, once again, a small segment of the urban power elite screen and anoint the acceptable candidate. In 2010 it was Alvin Brown. In 2014 it is Lenny Curry. Most people in Jacksonville have never heard of Curry; he has never run for elected office. But he is the clear frontrunner to unseat Mayor Brown, and he has collected the most campaign funds. Curry’s singular political credential, if it can be called that, is the highly partisan position of chair the Florida Republican Party. In his private life, Curry co-founded a successful professional staffing business. This is apparently his most important accomplishment.

But does being a successful businessperson qualify someone for public service as mayor of a large city? It does if you have adopted the neoliberal ideology that equates the generation of private profit with civic virtue.

On the issue of local economic development, we have the proposal to dredge/deepen the St Johns River. This will require up to $1 billion in public money to environmentally damage a public resource. The only “public” missing in this equation is public participation and input in the decision. No democracy there. Supporters of the project argue that we must have “deep water” in order to compete with other East Coast ports. But as with most public-private partnerships, a recent comprehensive study of port competition by Cuz Potter concluded that it “results in an unnecessary and unrewarded transfer of wealth from local taxpayers and users to global firms.”

The democracy deficit, nationally and locally, cannot and will not be remedied through the ballot box or existing twoparty politics. It will require a social and political movement that disrupts the system and demands fundamental systemic change to both the political and economic arrangements. In the history of the United States this has always been the recipe for progressive social change. The rumblings are just beginning.

David Jaffee mail@folioweekly.com

The author is a University of North Florida professor of sociology.

Folio Weekly welcomes Backpage Editorial submissions. Essays should be no more than 1,200 words and on a topic of local interest or concern. Email your Backpage to mail@folioweekly.com. Opinions expressed on the Backpage are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors or management of Folio Weekly.

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