What’s so nuclear about majority rule. The real mistake was messing with the original filibuster rules and taking away the requirement that a Senator who wanted to filibuster stand up and speak. With the recently enacted rules, any Senator could just say I don’t want a vote on that bill of confirmation, and nobody could even find out who held it up. It made obstruction painless. You could obstruct everything then blame the rival party for getting nothing done.
Let’s look at what actually happened. Look at the number of filibusters per year from 1917 to 2012; 2013 was on track to be even worse. The Senate was gridlocked. The GOP priority was not doing the business of the nation, but thwarting Obama on everything he tried to do, then claiming that inaction was his fault. Mitch McConnell cut a deal with Harry Reid that he’d not do that this legislative session. He lied. Something had to be done.
Appointments should be an up or down vote. Otherwise an obstructionist party like the GOP has been, can make sure a new president can’t even appoint a staff, or replace a cabinet member who isn’t up to the job.
All other filibusters should go back to the Mr. Smith Goes to Washington style where the obstructionist has to publicly identify themselves and state why they think the minority should prevail on a particular piece of legislation. If they don’t have the guts to even identify themselves, they shouldn’t be able to gum up the works.