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Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) speaks to reporters about the health care reform bill on December 15, 2009 in Washington, DC.

A simple majority can get a bill passed in the Senate--in theory. A two-thirds majority, however, is required to bring a vote to a close. And if the minority party wants to, it can continue debating a bill ad nauseam to prevent legislation from passing. This is called the filibuster, and back in 2005, when the Republicans had a majority in the Senate, Democrats could filibuster to gum up the agenda, especially in the case of judicial nominees. Now the tables are turned, and Democrats are still sore from the compromises they had to make in the healthcare bill to receive a filibuster-proof majority. Is the filibuster a necessary part of maintaining check and balances on partisan agendas? Or has it become a tool of obstructionists that should be nuked out of existence?