THE HIGH COST OF NATIONALISM:

The United States is producing beaucoup natural gas -- you knew that. But do you really know how much? The United States is now the world's largest natural-gas producer by far, with No. 2, Russia, nowhere close. The growth alone in U.S. natural gas is equal to about twice the annual production of Iran, which is the world's third-largest producer.

So why are people in New England importing natural gas from Russia?

Welcome to the batty world of trade protectionism.

The United States has on the books and enforces an antediluvian piece of legislation known as the Jones Act, signed into law by that great malefactor of his day, Woodrow Wilson. The Jones Act forbids the transportation of goods, commodities, or people between U.S. seaports unless the vessels used are manufactured, registered, flagged, and owned in the United States -- and owned and crewed by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. It's the reason why a cruise ship picking up passengers in Fort Lauderdale can't disembark them in Key West -- and also the reason why we can't get natural gas from the Gulf Coast to users in the Northeast and in Puerto Rico.

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