ARTICLE: U.S. to Impose Tariff on Tires From China, By Peter Whoriskey and Anne Kornblut, Washington Post, September 12, 2009

OPINION ASIA: A Protectionist Wave, Wall Street Journal, SEPTEMBER 13, 2009

ARTICLE: China Moves to Retaliate Against U.S. Tire Tariff, By KEITH BRADSHER, New York Times, September 13, 2009

Already decried as a "protectionist wave" by the WSJ. The fear: Obama is invoking a seldom used (and vetoed four times by Bush) Section 421 trade law that allows U.S. industries or unions to seek protection from surges of Chinese imports.

When Obama bends on this, more pressure for protectionism will follow, and low-income consumers in the U.S. will suffer. Job losses will merely be postponed.

Predictably, China is already retaliating.

(Thanks: David Brooks)