Protectionist foolishness has been making a comeback not just in the United States but around the world. The Lou Dobbs mentality — which, as is true in the case of Dobbs, is often advocated in many countries by demagogues iwho know better simply for personal or political gain — is advancing the goals of higher prices, bigger government, more economic and social turmoil in the developing world, and more international conflict. Bloomberg has a depressing update that includes some evidence of deterioration in the public’s always-shaky understanding of the economics involved:

A poll for NBC News and the Wall Street Journal in March found only 28 percent of Americans viewed free trade deals as beneficial, compared with 46 percent who said they were harmful. When the same question was asked in December 1999, 39 percent were positive about free trade, 30 percent negative.