Mutually Assured Detruction Averts the "Nuclear Option"

Back in the 70s and 80s, there was a doctrine that guided American nuclear policy called M.A.D. - Mutually Assured Destruction. Essentially, the idea is, "If your enemy knows you have the power to destroy him and the willingness to pull the trigger, he won't fire first." This kept nukes off the table in the Cold War until the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Republian Senate has been playing the same game with Senate Democrats over Judicial nominations. The "nuclear option" in this case was the removal of the Fiilibuster from all judicial votes - something that would reduce the Democratic minority to irrelevancy. The GOP proved it had the power, and was willing to use it. Therefore, the Democrats had no choice but to cave

Under the terms, Democrats would agree to oppose any attempt to filibuster - and thus block final votes - on the confirmation of Priscilla Owen, Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor. There is "no commitment to vote for or against" the filibuster against two other conservative nominees, Henry Saad and William Myers.
As for future nominees, the agreement said they should "only be filibustered under extraordinary circumstances," with each Democrat senator holding the discretion to decide when those conditions had been met.

Maybe this means finally the courts can get some workers again. I hope that no more showdowns are on the way... at least until the midterm elections.