Not only is protectionism be definition antithetical to the free market, but it simply cannot protect American prosperity. By adding to the price of foreign goods, tariffs lower the buying power of American consumers and force them to spend more of their income on the protected item instead of other products. Additionally, protectionism prevents foreign competition with American industries and, therefore, promotes inefficiency. By removing the need to compete with imports, the incentive to increase quality and lower prices is eliminated. To treat a nation as an enemy simply because its people offer us quality goods a low prices is hardly a mark of civilization.
Protectionism is a violation of the government's legitimate jurisdiction.
A free society requires a limited government which is restricted to enforcing justice and barred from attempting to manipulate the economy. By confiscating money from foreigners and interfering with our economic decisions, the federal government becomes tyrannical. While the government must raise revenue, it ought to do so in an equitable an restrained fashion. Protectionism places an unjust burden on the citizenry. Enforcing import restrictions and stamping out smuggling requires a bloated federal government which must be supported by taxpayers.