Two questions for my protectionist readers, if I may. First, what qualifies some professional groups to be privileged over others? Second, if we allow such groups to exist, are tariffs really the way to help them?

The takeover of American institutions by opponents of free trade has been swift and near-total. Ten years ago, I could get a round of applause out of almost any conservative audience by intoning two magic words: Ronald Reagan. Not anymore. Even the greatest of modern presidents has become, for some, a symbol of needless wars and trade-induced deindustrialization, his trademark optimism out of tune with our age.