[SmellTheGlove]

The northern counties are mostly wilderness, with sparse population and government. Let's be real, anywhere is closer to authoritarian by comparison, but it doesn't make the latter authoritarian.

Just because Portland has zoning laws and historic districts doesn't make it authoritarian. I'd argue Portland is pretty minimally restricted compared to any other US city. Besides not being able to shoot guns in the middle of the old port, and having some red tape preventing you from knocking down the west end to build steel and glass buildings, I'm curious what is remotely authoritarian about the place.

Then again, I'm from a bit south of Portland (and originally from away, which Mainers seem to care about in perpetuity), and moved away to SF a couple years back. My perspective could just be off?

[kevlar1818]

As a southern Mainer (not From Away :P) this is spot on.