"If tariffs are such a good economic idea, then why stop at national boundaries? If they make everyone richer, why not have customs posts between New York and New Jersey? Cars entering and leaving the Lincoln tunnel would have to pay, on top of the toll, a surcharge on all the goods they contain. Why not, indeed, make New York and New Jersey self-sufficient in all their needs, making all their own cars, growing all their own food etc?"

Daniel Ikenson, author of "No Longer Us versus Them - trade policy for the 21st century" and Alec van Gelder of International Policy Network argue that:

This global factory has changed the old “Us versus Them” characterisation of international trade for good--and for the good. Trade is increasingly the process of importing a good, adding value to it, and then exporting it to another producer further down the production chain. These complicated production and supply chains rely upon the rapid flow of goods and services across borders.

Banning containerised shipping (perhaps the most important technique in 20th century trade) or broadband Internet connections (which have paved the way for millions of call-centre jobs) would clearly be ridiculed.

Yet it is equally ludicrous for governments to promote “temporary” tariffs to shelter “domestic” industries, or subsidies for “local” producers, or “environmental” regulations that hobble foreign competitors.

Check out this new Freedom to Trade interview with Daniel Ikenson, who explains how President Obama's decision to implement a 35 per cent tariff on imports of Chinese tyres is tantamount to economic vandalism -- and that's about it for the good news.

Later this week, the F2T campaign will head to Pittsburgh to make the case for free trade -- and against protectionism -- during the G20 meeting of world leaders.  Campaign materials will be available on this website, and will be distributed by campaign representatives in Pittsburgh.