ALAN COLMES, HOST: New York City is starting a pilot program to reward poor people for doing good things to break the cycle of poverty. We welcome Rourke O’Brien, policy analyst with the asset building program at the New America Foundation. Rourke, thank you so much for being with us tonight. You’ve written about this new program which is provoking a lot of controversy…

ROURKE O’BRIEN, NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION: Well basically Alan, this program is designed to provide incentives for low income working families to do the basic things that most of us take for granted as being good long term investments. It’s about incentivizing families to take their children to the doctor for regular dental checkups and health visits… you know to incentivize children to study hard in schools, do well on standardized exams…

COLMES: So basically… but it’s taking money now… its not government money as I understand it, yet.

O’BRIEN: Right

COLMES: But it could be. And in fact, I understand Michael Bloomberg who just announced by the way that he is leaving the Republican party…

O’BRIEN: Right

COLMES: That he is actually investing some of his own money in it.

O’BRIEN: Right, yes this is just a two year pilot program and he is trying to try out an innovative idea..

For the complete transcript, please visit the Alan Colmes Show website.