In the minds of most Americans, the word “poverty” may conjure up Dickensian images of outright destitution: lack of access to food, water, shelter and clothing, and basic medical care. But one of the nation’s leading authorities on poverty and welfare reform insists this just isn’t the case.

Most of the 46.2 million persons classified as “poor” by the federal government live quite comfortably, he says.

Check out our exclusive interview with Robert Rector, a senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, one of the nation's chief experts on poverty issues, and "intellectual godfather" of the 1996 federal welfare reform act!