Foreign Policy, Global Security and Target Outcome

While starting my Sunday reading the,

New York Times on 59 Missiles and Foreign Policy

reminds me of the years following through the various travails of different political administrations, the news media and current events.

Reminiscing back a few months prior to the November 2016 Presidential elections in the few times I've overhead topics being discussed by both Hillary and Donald, I've sort of expected today as forthcoming when regards to Foreign Policy. While I do recognize the deeper thought on putting America first and focusing more domestically, never in the history of the world that Foreign diplomacy and policy has been put aside considerably as what the initial speeches stated.  Given the recent developments in Syria, the chemical attack and the missiles deployment, admittedly brings the realization for the new commander in chief that there's no such thing as domestic focused Foreign Diplomacy and Policy. 

The Obama administration for sure had deliberated on the same type of missile firing yet only went that far with sanctions and over involvement in foreign diplomacy. Contrary to what this new president thought about Obama's too much involvement with Syria he had to use military force to retaliate. Exercising military force is another discussion point but the shift now has tremendously change on vital importance of Foreign diplomacy as a leading World Power.

Now the whole world watches as to what will be the next steps to the current scenario on Syria, maybe to the  extent of finally ousting President Assad of Syria now that Generals are back in the core of the Inner Security Council planning strategies together with the president. Hence with these deliberations on security goes hand in hand with foreign policy strategy recommendations needed which this president might exercise or not.

So I'm going to end this short blog with Richard Haass latest bestselling book, A World in Disarray where he writes about  "The United States remains the world’s strongest country, but American foreign policy has at times made matters worse, both by what the U.S. has done and by what it has failed to do. 

As Richard Haass explains, the election of Donald Trump and the unexpected vote for “Brexit” signals that many in modern democracies reject important aspects of globalization, including borders open to trade and immigrants."

Alex Esguerra
ADLE International
Affordable Books

A Look into "A Consequential President: The Legacy of Barack Obama" by Michael D'Antonio

A Consequential President: The Legacy of Barack Obama Hardcover – January 3, 2017 by Michael D'Antonio 

A Consequential President   is an indeed generous overview of the Obama administration about Obama's message of change in 2008.

Pulitzer Prize winning author MICHAEL D'ANTONIO delivered of Obama as an individualist who prior to 2008 was certainly an unlikely presidential candidate but his change campaign led to his nomination as the 44th President of the United States. D'Antonio hails from the vibrant journalist team at Newsday who happen to also write "The truth About Trump" where he put together years and decades of interviews and coverage of incoming newly elected President Donald J. Trump.

Obama's change message gave a sign of "hope" which is similar to the new message of "Making America Great Again" by incoming President Trump. Obama's first signature as President was the Economic Recovery Act in 2008 to save the Auto Industry. The events that followed gave economic stability on the stock market and unemployment's reduction at 5%. Yet came with this were challenges on opposition from the US Congress and controversies such as the question of American citizenship.

As Obama winds down his last few days amidst a visit to Capitol Hill yesterday in trying to save his latest signature of the "Affordable Care Act", exchanges between the two major parties as to repealing it or saving this act. It is a true fact that today about 20 million Americans uses the Affordable Care Act which earlier on pave the way to ending the inadequate access of medical treatment by not having medical insurance.

This book also touches on Obama's energy policies in cutting cost of generated power from the sun, wind and even fossil fuels. It continues on Obama's efforts on climate change on global warming and nuclear weapons in Iran. D'Antonio not only writes on the major accomplishments of this presidency but also those not heard or much publicized contributing to the legacy of Barack Obama as President.

D'Antonio noted Obama the first African American minority president as an inspirational leader who had to function and navigate race relations of being black while delivering the promise of hope and change.

As any outgoing presidents in the past, books, memoirs are written  as they leave the office on their life, tribulations and legacy. The past developments on the last few days in office, staying in Washington for a while and the recent Capitol Hill visit yesterday somehow gave speculations of what and how Citizen Obama will be in the coming days and years after his presidency.

For now a salute to Michael D'Antonio for writing this great book and till we meet again the 44th President Barack Obama.

Alex Esguerra

Affordable Books On Line

Trump's Tax Reform bracket, will it benefit small independent booksellers?

It seems a plan on reducing the tax bracket and income tax to 15%. S Corp's and LLC's seem to be the most benefactor from the said plan. 

Through the years, deductions and the like played a big part during tax time. Though reducing the tax bill and more money coming back to an individual and a business helps, it also benefits those having huge corporate profits as well.

The question and reality lies again on the regulations and business climate to operate a small business operation.  Taxes are just a segment of the long list of needs every small independent businesses lived through each day to exist.

"The National Federation of Independent Business, say 45% of business owners consider regulations a very serious business problem today. That is up from 17% in 2001. "

In addition, access to working capital continues to be a major obstacle of a small business owner. This is an area where needed regulations can be futile where the incoming Trump administration can also looked into. 

Per the NFIB November report, "Four percent of owners reported that all their borrowing needs were not satisfied, unchanged from October. Thirty percent reported all credit needs met (up 1 point), and 52 percent explicitly said they did not want a loan, down 1 point. Only 2 percent reported that financing was their top business problem. Thirty-one percent of all owners reported borrowing on a regular basis (up 3 points). The average rate paid on short maturity loans rose 40 basis points to 5.6 percent. Overall, loan demand remains historically weak, owners can’t find many good reasons to borrow and invest, even with abundantly cheap money."

In such operational structures, liquidity and personal cash flow are the main funding sources for COGS - Cost of Goods Sold, etc., especially in the bookselling industry whom had been over the years continues to automate and slowly update their technology systems.

Hopefully the new SBA - Small Business Administration new chief, Linda McMahon and Trump, together, will have the ability to help revive American small business through actual government assistance (SBA loans, training and federal contract opportunities), but also through something that is even more important: building entrepreneurial confidence.- quoted from Fox News.

Entrepreneurial confidence and the essence of entrepreneurship were some of the basic principles I focused then at APEC Young Entrepreneurs Association and as APEC Youth Representative on the Young Leaders declaration in 1997.

Truly indeed it's back to basics of entrepreneurship access to capital, minimum wage, competitive and profitability structures, and coming together to address policy and regulations affecting each industry.

So my take for other fellow small business owners is that although we have our individual struggles, we have to be strong and united when it comes to policies and regulations which may affect us with the new administration. The key is "Vigilance".

Alex Esguerra

http://www.adleinternational.co

The Economy in 2017 and where we stand!

Amidst the slow growth in the past 2 years globally being long term. economist projects that in the initial part of 2017, the US economy will rebound in lieu of 3-8 % increase in consumer spending since the holiday season started.

It is said the projected GDP growth in 2017 will be around 2% contrary to the projections of 4% of the incoming US President Donald Trump. Inflation was greatly controlled in 2016 due to the low price of oil and crude.  The strong US dollar partly is credited to the lower oil price in the markets around  a target of $50/barrel next year.

The Bureau of Labor projects that Healthcare jobs will play an increased significantly next year especially those with occupational merits having Masters Degrees. These jobs with be followed by computer related job growths as well as educators.

As the legacy of outgoing President Barack Obama in establishing the economic recovery after the financial crisis in 2008, we should focus on educating ourselves on our careers by learning more adaptive skills towards our jobs. Another area is looking at the stock market improvement towards reclassifying retirement and 401 k plans.

The initial uncertainty of a new administration on the White House will trigger an increase in interest rate and inflation on the early part of 2017 as new rules and ammedaments like the Affordable Care Act may or may not be a huge effect on the new state of the US economy.

The markets for sure will have a wait and see attitude towards new regulations and administrative orders from the new executives in the Trump administration.

As of this writing, we consumer spending towards the christmas and new year continue to revitalized the GDP.

Where we go from here in 2017 again will be a next chapter.

Happy Holidays and a more prosperous 2017.

The Slogan, "Making America Great Again"

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A "Let's Make America Great Again" pin button from Ronald Reagan's 1980 presidential campaign Donald Trump wearing a Make America Great Again hat in 2016. "Make America Great Again" is a campaign slogan used in American politics that originated with the Ronald Reagan campaign of 1980. Donald Trump subsequently received a U.S. Service Mark.[1]. 

Reading through www.greatagain.gov, the incoming Trump administration focuses heavily on Regulatory reform as cornerstone of the Trump Administration, and the effort will include a temporary moratorium on all new regulation, canceling overarching executive orders and a thorough review to identify and eliminate unnecessary regulations that kill jobs and bloat government.

This reminds me a few years ago about the outsourcing of jobs during the Bush administration like call centers being routed to third world countries. As everything nowadays talks about the then Billionaire Mr. Trump cons and pros which might either make America great or worse we don't really know. 

What we do know that each person has their own style and business entrepreneurship ideas might be an essential tool on regulatory analysis of the impediments to job creation. The only difference having seen both sides of regulation and moratorium that not all the greatest entrepreneurial approaches to the global mighty economist might work. 

Why? It's simply because running a business is entirely much easier to control and manage the outcomes that political governance where even the greatest strategist cannot really conclude if the strategy will work 100%. Thus, back in the days when there was was an enormous doors being open for me from the business socio-civic endeavours to moved to the political arena, I made the decision to simply stay as a private citizen engaged in community and public service. 

There were the economist, the entrepreneur moguls in developing countries whom became president that history writes were thought to have done great strides yet who had the same balance of governance failures. Of course, the main difference in politics there's always the pointing game rather than if your a small business owner, then you and yourself is the only one to blame. Quoting from www.greatagain.gov " The regulatory bureaucracy is enormous and its impact on our economy, communities and individual Americans from coast to coast is even larger". With such underlying statement, can we really gauge outcomes on the first 100 days? It validates the complexity of governance yet the incoming administration talks about sensible regulations. 

When Barack Obama took the baton in 2008, it talks about the greatest recession in ages where stimulus had to be infused to the economy dealing with the stock market chaos, the auto industry, etc.., Yet as I've heard people from the midwest talking about why they needed a change for steel, plant workers and or the middle class which is why Pres. Donald Trump won in big numbers on these states. Looking at this arguments, brings my historical picture of what politics is about anywhere in the world. The bottom line as I've noted over and over through the years, what is there for "Mainstream America"? 

 It's too early to pre-judged yet it's not too early to constantly watch the next steps and react in proper decorum. Civil rights, equality, and respect will be a good trend gauging arena as after all these were all the rhetoric focus on this election.

Affordable Books

Goodreads reviews for The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Reviews from Goodreads.com

Book Expo America 2016 continues to grow and what's new

May is almost around the corner as this year's biggest bookseller meet-ups happen at Book Expo America 2016 This year the BEA will be held at McCormick Place in Chicago. BEA is still mid-week and compact with three days for you to maximize your experience in an efficient time frame. BookCon will continue to be adjacent to BEA and take place Saturday, May 14. A bit of history about Book Expo America: BookExpo America (BEA) is the leading book and author event for the North American publishing industry. It’s the best place to discover new titles and authors, conduct business and network, and learn the latest trends. BEA is the largest gathering of booksellers, librarians, retailers, publishers, rights, licensing, and book industry professionals in North America. One of the new things that I look forward to is that BookExpo America (BEA) To Debut New Digital Platform Tools At Annual Event Enhancing Networking Opportunities For All Attendees. From what I heard this is the real networking as BEA will debut the BEA Network at the show to the approximately 10,000 industry professionals attending the event, giving them a chance create more connections than ever before Hence am looking forward to this followed by BookCon which is the ultimate fan event where storytelling and pop culture collide – offering fans unprecedented access to authors, publishers, celebrities and creators of content that influence everything we read, hear and see. As independent Indie booksellers continue to grow comes the growing pains and operational challenges. Hopefully new ideas, new friends and support from the American Booksellers Association as we anticipate BEA 2016

Bestselling New Books, New York Times Bestsellers List and Notables a New Trend in Online Book Buying

As the internet continuously revolutionizes from Apps integration and mobile friendly website, a growing demand on the book selling business today are new, new and new release books. It is well noted and maybe also because of the high tech trend today, consumers buying books online and also in retail stores has grown tremendously in numbers for new release books. At our own ADLE's Affordable Books where our core main business is rare out print collectibles and used books, we have accept this fact especially due to the enormous wants and request we received from our loyal pool of buyers. So on top of what we carry together with our textbooks genre, our mission of affordability still goes with our new release fiction, non-fiction, novels, romance, memoirs, biographies, etc. In the world of sales and marketing, it is gearing towards market trends, demands and consumer needs. Thus, book selling totally is gearing towards that shift. The plain good news is that in spite of all the digital and eBooks, owning a hardbound or paperback copy is still the constant norm of a book buyer today. A long list of the New York Times bestseller list has proliferated the book market since the started of the year. Some notables are Spark joy, When Breath Comes in the Air, Dictator, How To Make Your Money Last, Brotherhood, black Presidency and many more.

E-Commerce versus Brick and Mortar E-tailing on 2016 - Where is online selling headed?

Years ago when the internet started and e-commerce shopping enabled platforms aka now so called big box wannabe of the internet focus on making products accessible through online purchase. Then came expedited delivery, customer service focus and feedback. After which fill rate ratio on order fulfillment which also integrated fulfillment and drop shipping capabilities. As the so called wannabe's now dominate the search rankings, so many independent brick and mortar online business driven individuals has also ventured outside of selling from the wannabe's selling platform to their own online storefronts. Through the partnership of so many e-commerce solutions based website development integrating inventory, ordering and fulfillment with one's stand alone online storefront. When I go to my talks on e-commerce and API integration to prospective young business leaders, I tell them the story of my domain name I bought from google - alex esguerra years ago for $9.99. That time we were developing more our store fronts and the name brand recognition was gaining good alexa rankings. Today when I'm using mostly, Affordable Books on line the said domain is being offered for sale by domain registrars for almost $2,300 as a premium domain. I touch base on this example because of brand name recognition but truly indeed someone might buy and use the said domain but the ideals and vision that comes with the name brand might not be fulfilled and at that point the value goes down the drain. This is just and example of how a typical independent brick and mortar online store front will increase it's brand awareness. Especially nowadays everything is link to social media feeds, tweets and sharing incorporating advertisements and buy buttons. The big wannabe's still rank high as they have all the dollars for google ad words and SEO's but online buyers nowadays will go from page 1 to page 5 when searching for a product as they indeed study well before they indeed purchase. This will include reading social media friends talking about the products and where to buy them. In summary online e-commerce store fronts will predominate consumer buying the actual retail stores for sure. Yesterday, the day before christmas I suddenly ran out of printed ink. I went online at 3 pm to order it and when i was in the shopping cart it gave the option to get express same delivery. So at 5 pm my ink already arrived while I was outside doing an errand. Even though I have a rewards benefit from where I bought it, the value was on the 2 hour delivery. So with today's instant shoppers, uber rush, special delivery this will indeed create the high quality customer loyalty driven value which if the independent brick and mortar online store fronts utilize will indeed give them the far away advantage in 2016. More power to e-tailing in 2016.