Ind. Dems Staying in Ill. as Showdown Continues

Indiana Democrats say they won't return to the Statehouse on Wednesday but are ready to negotiate when Republicans who control the chamber are ready to stop pushing their "radical agenda'' against working families.

Democratic House Minority Leader Patrick Bauer told reporters by phone from Illinois that he's ready to talk with Republicans and that he'll consider bringing his caucus back from Urbana, Ill., on a day-to-day basis. But GOP House Speaker Brian Bosma says he won't concede to Democrat demands.

The political showdown erupted after Republicans advanced a controversial "right-to-work'' bill that prohibits union membership from being a condition of employment. Democrats fled to Illinois and their absence killed that bill, but Bauer says Democrats are upset about the general attitude of Republicans and that the boycott is about more than just right-to-work.