Kill It So that It No Longer Fears Death

Here's a letter to The Economist:

"R.A.," a correspondent at your blog "Free Exchange," discusses the tariff aimed at protecting 200 ironing-board-making jobs in the US ("Ironing trade out," June 23).  In doing so, R.A. mentions Matt Yglesias's (correct) understanding that any of these workers who lose their jobs today making ironing boards would have more difficulty than in non-recessionary times finding other employment.

From this fact, R.A. reasons as follows: "I understand why market...