Alex Merced in 2016 NY Senate race

On Energy & Oil: Remove barriers to innovation, and let technology develop

Alex Merced: To me the best way to let technology develop and allow for more efficient uses of resources is innovation and investment. If we remove the barriers, distortions, and disincentives to invest the rate at which innovation will take place will grow allowing us to deal with today's challenges quicker. I don't feel government can truly address these problems through central management but allowing millions of innovative minds to be free to come up with solutions that haven't been dreamed yet can go a long way.

On Technology: Cut federal spending so states can spend on infrastructure

Alex Merced: If we can cut spending and lower taxes, this does give more room for states to raise the resources they need to deal with their local infrastructure. Local governments will best know which roads and infrastructure projects will best serve their communities. For intrastate projects, I would encourage states to create joint funds for projects that impact more than one state so they can develop without the unneeded bureaucracy of the Federal Government.

On Welfare & Poverty: Inequality is byproduct of the rising cost of opportunity

• Inequality is byproduct of the rising cost of opportunity, this makes opportunity less accessible to those who can least afford it (the poor) which makes inequality grow over time.
• Opportunity for economic mobility come from developing skills by education or on the job, investment, and entrepreneurship.
• Complex tax and regulatory burdens and occupational licensing have made all of these avenues of mobility more costly for the poorest among us making them systematically worse off.