I wish it were that simple, then I could join you in blaming McCain...
I sure don't remember ongoing filibuters over each of the appointees, after this so-called "gang of 14" agreement. Am I missing something?
It's a bit more complicated than that, isn't it? [not that I prefer it to be that way]
If we wanted to exercise a 'nuclear option', perhaps it would be best to have done it earlier on, after Republicans had regained a Senate majority, or if not that far back, then at least a few years earlier...
As it was, we would have been stinking up the joint, on our way out!
Yes, you forget how many judicial nominees had been blocked by the democrats. This created a huge log jam of time and effort to get the nominees subsequently through. The left still had the threat of filibuster available, even if not utilized, and this also caused more delay. So, a trickle of them went through and then the democrats came in power. The left did not need to filibuster judges any more once in power.
The nuclear option would have opened the flood gate of nominees prior to 2006. It should have been utilized years ago.