The Immorality of Protectionism

Here's a letter that I sent two years ago to the Wall Street Journal (HT to my buddy Kerry Dugas for digging it up and noting its relevance in light of my recent discussion with Lou Dobbs):

Carlos Gutierrez and Arnold Schwarzenegger justifiably point out many of the economic advantages of free trade ("Keep America Open to Trade," May 12). The case against protectionism is significantly strengthened by such consequentialist arguments – arguments that I and other economists routinely and...