Many are going to assert that doing away with the filibuster for nominees is a blow against minority protection in the process. However, it has to be remembered and understood: the very nature of the Senate as designed is already minority protection. Since each state gets a co-equal number of seats in the chamber, the power of majority populations and sentiments are already diluted. Even operating under basic absolute majority rule (i.e., 51 votes) is a already a body that is not a purely majoritarian one given that an absolute majority of the votes in the Senate may very well represent a minority of the population.
Indeed, that was one of the purposes of the Senate: that the smaller states (as defined in population terms) would not lose all of their influence to the larger states. As such, minority protection is baked into the institution. It does not have to have a filibuster rule to protect minority interests.
More later, as time permits.
