I wrote about the Bandwagon's stop in Oregon last night, but there is a great article, by Jacques Von Lunen, in The Oregonian, so let's revisit.  From the article:

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's "Vote for Business Bandwagon" was greeted by local politicians and about 25 workers wearing coveralls outside Miles Fiberglass and Composites Inc. Although protesting union members have greeted the chamber's bus tour in other cities, none showed up at the Portland-area stop.

The purpose of the luxuriously appointed bus is to register voters and lobby them to support issues the chamber deems vital to the nation's economic health, including lowered taxes and fewer regulations. A lounge in the back of the bus featured laptops where visitors could write to their representatives.
...
Miles Fiberglass has an interest in trade agreements that establish rules comparable to those they operate under in other countries. The company is transitioning from making mostly RV parts to producing sections of wind turbines and streetcars.

"Wind energy and streetcars get a lot of tax credits in the U.S.," said Joe Luchak, the company's chief financial officer. "They should be made in the U.S." Miles has to compete with companies that don't face the strict government regulations it does, Luchak said.

Oregon companies exported $16.5 billion of manufactured goods and agricultural products in 2007, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. The state's four major exporting industries employ about 97,000 workers.

Miles Fiberglass will add 20 to 30 jobs later this year, when it begins manufacturing parts for a motorized surfboard. Advantage Industries of Moses Lake, Wash., which is assembling the surfboards, sells the finished products to international markets.

"If we have a level playing field, we can compete with anybody in the world," Luchak said.

Just how important is a level playing field?  Here is a look at how exports from Oregon to Free Trade Agreement countries have increased since the year of the FTA implementation:

• North American Free Trade Agreement: 203% increase since 1994
• U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement: 100% increase since 2004
• U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement: 68.47% increase since 2004
• U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement: 19.3% increase since 2005
• U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement: 998.5% increase since 2006
• U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central America FTA: 52.7% increase since 2006

Find out more about Oregon trade over at TradeRoots.