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a very aggressive approach -- “and you're going to have to take the consequences of that.” So I said to him -- I remember so distinctly -- I said, “Victor, of course I have to take the consequences. Every time I open my goddamn mouth, I have to take the consequences of what I say.” And I said, “I can understand your being upset. You have an interest, which is to protect the municipal workers. You should do everything you can. I have a broader interest. My interest is to protect not only municipal workers but also workers in the private sector who are laid off. And I think that two bites of the apple -- this isn't right.” “Okay, Ed,” very lethal. And he's not a guy to fool around with. I mean he's a very articulate guy, very important -- but I'm not going to be pushed around. I suppose it's not bravado on my part; I feel reasonably secure as a member of Congress, with all of the people I've alienated -- you put them all together, it's everybody in my constituency -- but if you look at it from the broad point of view of how they view me, I think they like me. The vote indicates that; 76.7% of the vote in the last election. And therefore I feel I have to do what's right and not simply tack to the wind because I get some kind of lethal-sounding call from some labor leader.

I had that the other day. I happen to be for banning the steel trap that catches animals and causes enormous pain, and to make it even more gruesome, many of the animals will bite off their paws to get out of the trap. And there's a big campaign