The decision by Gannett to freeze pension plans for employees -- except for the unfrozen chosen 127 top execs -- has stirred the pot.

Buddly blogger Jim Hall in Shelbyville had this to say in a recent email:

"I found your article about newspaper pensions, etc., very interesting. It sounds as if the Indy Star pays now about what teachers make. My wife has been a special ed teacher for 25 years (and has a master's degree from Butler U.) and makes what you made when you left the newspaper. (note from Ruth -- $60,000)

"I mentally 'added' your blog item to my long and growing list of reasons why I "converted" from being a conservative Republican eight years ago to my current philosophy which is independent-leaning-Democrat-firmly-behind-Obama.

"There is an old joke among Republicans that: 'When does a Democrat become a Republican? When she gets mugged.'

"Well, I think that analogy also applies to those of us who have been 'mugged' by corporations/power brokers and the like - the folks who get the BIGGEST tax refunds from the Bush Administration."

Indy Star Dan Carpenter used to say (and it's a famous line) that the difference between a liberal and a conservative is that the liberal thinks with his heart, the conservative with his head.

Just curious: is political identity, like relationships and so many other aspects of life, a process? Are you "born" into one party and do you stay there all your lifelong days? What makes one choose one political identity over another?

Libertarians are welcome to join.

As for Hall's blog, it's

http://www.deebonner.com/