[IrishBrewer]

In brief the filibuster gives any Senator 1/40th of a say over an appointment instead of 1/50th.

I think it just gives the minority party undiserved leverage against the majority.

[mrsmith]

The dealing goes on in the cloakrooms, cloture (filibuster) is one card individual Senators play- Senators of the majority or the minority.

Senators were meant to have a lot of individual power, that is reflected in their rules. Requiring cloture on matters that the Constitution doesn't require the Senate to give it's advice and consent on is one historic way of "empowering" individual Senators.