Senate Democrats have triggered the so-called “nuclear option” with a rule change that effectively eliminates the filibuster as a tool to block most presidential nominations. “The rule change means that federal judge nominees and executive-office appointments can be confirmed by a simple majority of senators, rather than the 60-vote supermajority that has been required for more than two centuries.” (Sidenote: Dropping a nuclear bomb will now be referred to as the filibuster option.)

+ Buzzfeed: What the hell happened in the Senate today?