On Monday, The New York Times reported that representatives from some 500 groups would descend upon the World Trade Organization's meeting in Seattle this week.

No doubt, the overwhelming majority of these folks are not pushing for free trade. Instead, they are making some kind of statement in favor of protectionism, environmental extremism, more government regulation, all of the above--and more.

In a perfect political world, the U.S. would eliminate all of its own barriers to trade to the benefit of U.S. consumers, businesses and economic growth, leaving other nations to catch on or continue shooting their own consumers in the head. Of course, this is not a perfect world, and unilateral action on the behalf of free trade does not seem to be on anyone's political agenda. So we are left negotiating nation by nation, region by region, or in global talks. As noted by the 500-plus groups in action in Seattle, this is messy business.

This protectionist cacophony in Seattle reminds us that the President has not been granted fast-track trade negotiating authority by Congress. Without fast track, any free trade accord brought before Congress for approval will be subject to attack by every protectionist group in the nation--i.e., another case of lobbying bedlam.

Fast track, in contrast, allows the President to negotiate a trade agreement, which then is subject to an up-or-down vote by Congress, not to be changed by any special interests.