" Senate Republicans Are Splitting With House Over Taxes"; http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/us/po ... taxes.html To wit: "Senator John Cornyn of Texas, who will take over next year as the Senate’s No. 2 ranking Republican, told Politico this week, “I believe we’re going to pass the $250,000 and below sooner or later, and we really don’t have much leverage there because those rates go up by operation of law Dec. 31.”

Looks like ballgame.