Jerry Flanagan is a consumer advocate at the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a group which actively works to lower prescription drug prices to consumers through bulk purchasing arrangements.

On May 6, 2005, Mr. Flanagan appeared on California Politics Today to talk about this approach to reducing the cost of prescription drugs for those who buy them. You can listen to what he had to say then by clicking on "Jerry Flanagan, consumer advocate at Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, talks about building consumer power through bulk purchasing".

Mr. Flanagan appeared again today on California Politics Today to talk about one particular example of such bulk purchasing plans, the LA Rx initiative that was adopted earlier this year by the City of Los Angeles through the efforts of then-Councilmember, now-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

During that appearance Mr. Flanagan also talked about the two dueling prescription drug initiatives on the November, 2005, California Statewide Special Election ballot, Proposition 78, sponsored by the drug industry, and Proposition 79, sponsored by various consumer and labor groups.

Mr. Flanagan also addressed himself to the more general issue of political corruption, with a particular focus on the behavior of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Discussed in this context were the issues of the Governor's celebrity; his veto of legislation by California State Senator Jackie Speier that would have regulated the "nutritional supplements" that provide the bulk of revenue to American Media, Inc., publications that had a deal to pay the Governor millions of dollars for promoting their business; and alleged conflicts of interest involving Red Bull beverage and violent Terminator video games featuring virtual versions of Governor Schwarzenegger, in his film actor/android persona.

Also discussed was the overall impact and significance of political television ads, in the context of television advertising generally, on the political culture and climate of California.

You can listen to this interview with Jerry Flanagan, consumer advocate at the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, California, in its entirety, by clicking here.

You can visit the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights web site to view its hard-hitting anti-corporate animation about prescription drugs by clicking here.

You can view a slightly-over-the-top animated attack on WellPoint and Blue Cross of California by clicking here. See if you can detect any resemblance between the image of WellPoint Chairman of the Board Leonard D. Schaeffer, depicted here and the lead "pig person from outer space" depicted in the animation here.