If nothing happens, tax rates go up automatically.
And why do they go up automatically?
Because of the debt ceiling deal Bonehead and the GOP signed off on two years ago.
So because the GOP cut a bad deal two years ago, means they have
to cut a worse deal now?
They go up automatically because the original Bush tax cuts were temporary. All that happened 2 years ago was that they were extended for 2 years. There was no way Obama was ever going to sign off to make them permanent.