I suppose the verb form of steam-roller would in fact be "steamroll." Look at my willpower in not going back to edit.

but isn't that essentially impinging on her constituents First Amendment rights, even if they were city employees?

Very generally, one can only exercise 1st Amendment rights as a private citizen. When you're acting as a public employee, you're not insulated by the 1st Amendment.

So, if Joe talks to the press as private citizen, he's protected, but if he's commenting on how the mayor is trying to ban books in his library, he's probably speaking as the librarian and the mayor could take action.

but if he's commenting on how the mayor is trying to ban books in his library, he's probably speaking as the librarian and the mayor could take action.

Got it. And she did take action. She fired the librarian who dared question her "rhetorical questions" about banning books. And the fun just keeps on coming.

ETA: From galleycat, a link to the Time Magazine article that references this incident as well, along with an alleged sampling of the books Palin tried to have banned.

• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
• Anything by Stephen King
• Everything by J.K. Rowling
• Most of William Shakespeare's work
• Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary by the Merriam-Webster Editorial Staff

And in non-Palin news, gotta love how classy Lily Allen is (NOT)

A visibly tipsy Lily Allen got into a profanity-laced verbal spat with Elton John onstage as the two hosted the GQ Men of the Year Awards in London Tuesday night.

Allen followed the exchange with a crude ad lib when 82-year-old Tony Bennett was presented with the night's Inspiration Award. As John introduced Bennett, pointing out his age, Allen broke in, declaring: "I'll still [have sex with] him."

"I could still snort you under the table."

Heh.

She fired the librarian who dared question her "rhetorical questions" about banning books.

I think she tried, but did not succeed. (And the librarian resigned a few years later.)

eta: We were both right.

The librarian, Mary Ellen Emmons, pledged to “resist all efforts at censorship,” Ms. Kilkenny recalled. Ms. Palin fired Ms. Emmons shortly after taking office but changed course after residents made a strong show of support. Ms. Emmons, who left her job and Wasilla a couple of years later, declined to comment for this article.

The question of whether or not someone was acting within their official capacity is one that takes up lots of space in the law books. You'd think it would be easy, but it's the lynch pin of these cases, so it's always a fight.

Yeah, but legal or not I think it would be clear to most people that it is wrong. (Not everyone, but I'll bet most.)

In front of an audience that included Gordon Ramsay

I hope Ramsay wasn't terribly offended. He's a delicate flower!

I hope Ramsay wasn't terribly offended. He's a delicate flower!

SNORT. Okay, Diet Coke up the nose-- very much with the stinging.

On Palin, and whether or not taking care of the children are an issue w/r/t carrying out the job: Why aren't people asking what her husband will do if she wins this job? I mean, if SP was Sam Palin, we'd assume the kiddos weren't a problem because the Mrs. would be overseeing their care, right?

That's my superficial thought for the day.

That, and I'll bet anyone folding money that Levi has a haircut by the time he gets on stage with his new family tonight.