Anyone ever move from New England to Portland? (Beaverton, Arlington: fit in, sales)

[meltinjohn]

I am asking this because I did see a few New Englanders when I visited Portland, but I just want to see if 1 or 2 pop up in here.
How would you compare?
Would anyone consider Oregon a free state ?
NH is a free state but the residents depend on Massachusetts for the work force much of the time. They are like the joined to the hip neighbors that dont like eachother. One is free minded and the other one has become a communist state.
In Oregon, I realize theres no sales tax, but theres income tax right?
Portland might be referred to as a commie land in Oregon, but at least the whole state isnt that way is how I see it besides the pumping of the gas thing. Even Portland didnt seem very communist like to me. Im sure some live there, but I dunno maybe its where I went, but I saw Portland as pretty conservative libertarian with the occasional greenery nuts. I didnt meet hardly any *******s there tho I can say that.
Any thoughts and anyone come to Oregon or Portland from New England?

[ajl26]

Originally Posted by meltinjohn

How would you compare?

I like the weather better here (Portland), but the food is better in NE.

Would anyone consider Oregon a free state ?

What do you mean by 'free state' exactly?

NH is a free state

I don't really consider NH a free state. It has some libertarian tendencies, but no principle, so the tendencies end up being not too important. In my experience the average person there is not any more or less enlightened about what it means to be free.

For example, they are one of the states to put a ban on smoking in restaurants. This is extremely contrary to libertarian ideas, to unilaterally make that sort of decision for restaurant owners and patrons. (If it was a free-minded state, I don't think that sort of legislation has a chance of happening... the people wouldn't stand for it.)

In Oregon, I realize theres no sales tax, but theres income tax right?

Ya, there is 9% income tax. Other than that, I suppose it is probably on the short list with NH, Nevada, etc., as far as "relatively libertarian leaning" states go. (Mostly I think the states all have their tradeoffs, because if one was way more free than another, people would all be moving there. And that isn't really happening.) I believe Ron Paul had one of his better results here, fwiw.

Portland might be referred to as a commie land in Oregon, but at least the whole state isnt that way is how I see it besides the pumping of the gas thing. Even Portland didnt seem very communist like to me. Im sure some live there, but I dunno maybe its where I went, but I saw Portland as pretty conservative libertarian with the occasional greenery nuts. I didnt meet hardly any *******s there tho I can say that.

Ya, Portland is generally a leftist/socialist crowd. But, I don't think they're into that stuff in a committed/principled way, which makes it not a big deal in my opinion. (It's like one of those little dogs that yips at you as opposed to a pit bull.)

For example, it isn't like the average person reads the communist manifesto or has deep ideas for why they think socialism works. It's just like "yayy I hung a Barack Obama sign in my window, now I fit in."

What's important is I think people here are probably more free-spirited and open-minded and flexible than in New England. So as new ideas continue to present themselves, I'm optimistic that the "Portland liberal" would see the violence and horrors of socialism before the "New England liberal" would.

That's of course a sweeping generalization for the sake of answering. Like anywhere, there are all types of people, and it's up to you to sort out.

[meltinjohn]

Originally Posted by ajl26

I like the weather better here (Portland), but the food is better in NE.


What do you mean by 'free state' exactly?


I don't really consider NH a free state. It has some libertarian tendencies, but no principle, so the tendencies end up being not too important. In my experience the average person there is not any more or less enlightened about what it means to be free.

For example, they are one of the states to put a ban on smoking in restaurants. This is extremely contrary to libertarian ideas, to unilaterally make that sort of decision for restaurant owners and patrons. (If it was a free-minded state, I don't think that sort of legislation has a chance of happening... the people wouldn't stand for it.)


Ya, there is 9% income tax. Other than that, I suppose it is probably on the short list with NH, Nevada, etc., as far as "relatively libertarian leaning" states go. (Mostly I think the states all have their tradeoffs, because if one was way more free than another, people would all be moving there. And that isn't really happening.) I believe Ron Paul had one of his better results here, fwiw.


Ya, Portland is generally a leftist/socialist crowd. But, I don't think they're into that stuff in a committed/principled way, which makes it not a big deal in my opinion. (It's like one of those little dogs that yips at you as opposed to a pit bull.)

For example, it isn't like the average person reads the communist manifesto or has deep ideas for why they think socialism works. It's just like "yayy I hung a Barack Obama sign in my window, now I fit in."

What's important is I think people here are probably more free-spirited and open-minded and flexible than in New England. So as new ideas continue to present themselves, I'm optimistic that the "Portland liberal" would see the violence and horrors of socialism before the "New England liberal" would.

That's of course a sweeping generalization for the sake of answering. Like anywhere, there are all types of people, and it's up to you to sort out.

Theres really not one truly free state. NH has its own restrictions and to be honest, I thought some about it and besides a few major areas, I dont see too many cops around in the "communistwealth" of Massachusetts. They just need to make their quotas so they cracked down but as far as the streets go, I overall dont see cops anymore there than anywhere else and some people appear to be in good free moods from time to time. Theres really no total free anywhere. I realize that and the places that have some heavy crackdown can still manage to have happy people and someone in the "free' state of NH is bitching heavily so..

I sensed that Portlanders are more on the anarcho cap lines than they are heavy marxist or communist manifesto types. More tollerance on the whole amongst the educated population there I found.
New England is nice, and near Boston has some parts kinda like Hawthorne does like Arlington or Cambridge but still, its not the same as Portland to me. Portland was just so unique.
Boston has more politically liberal people, but not heavy communist manifesto types all that much. Its more socialist than anything and despite the fact gay marriage was passed, your always gonna have some in the northeast who arent for it. There is some gay hate up this way for sure altho still many nice people in some of the older towns in the northeast.
Beaverton reminds me of how it would be further out from Boston 25 minutes outward. Close to Boston is real tight often times.