Well, wikipedia has its problems and biases.
As for the article, I have read parts of it (it is long!) and I think he contradicts himself in places.
Also, if protectionism is so great, then why don’t we practice it between states? Or even cities? I still believe that everyone benefits from free trade which benefits both parties. If people didn’t get something from the deal, they wouldn’t participate. I don’t see why poor people should pay more for goods to protect the jobs of union workers and CEOs.
The states all play pretty much by the same rules. There is some variation but it's not much. And we are all part of one nation. So if Atlanta incents a company to move from Boston, you at least have some Americans benefiting while some Americans lose. We do have some of the smarter cities paying incentives and giving tax breaks to businesses to come there, because they've realized the benefits.
I still believe that everyone benefits from free trade which benefits both parties. If people didn’t get something from the deal, they wouldn’t participate.
Well that's just it. I still buy Chinese goods from Walmart, because I get a cheap price. Even though I know it's putting my fellow Americans out of work. But don't expect me to self sacrifice while everyone else buy's from China. That is government's proper role to regulate those external trade relationships. I'll stop when everyone else stops.
"I don’t see why poor people should pay more for goods to protect the jobs of union workers and CEOs"
If we were at full employment, I'd agree with you. But we are not. At this point, poor people should pay more to protect their own job. Because with 25% out of work and it's still moving in the wrong direction, that's what it amounts to.
Just because Unions supported protectionism doesn't mean that they were wrong in all situations. Broken clock is right twice a day. The logical extreme is to outsource all American jobs and really teach those Unions!!!
I'm not sure I've read the article all the way through, however I do believe it mentions the exceptions for low wage countries where free trade doesn't necessarily benefit both states. China takes it to an extreme because it's not just the wage differential, its the fact that the money is not allowed to come back to buy our trade goods, only our manufacturing capacity.