“and end up having the “nuclear option” deployed by the Republicans ... thereby turning the Democrats into an irrelevant minority for a long time.”
It never ceases to amaze me that the GOPe does not want to make this move. If the roles were reversed, the RATs would (and already have) gone “nuclear!” The damned “repubicans” simply don’t want to have to lead.
The GOPe is on the SAME TEAM as the Rats...it’s quite simple.
For political reasons, the GOP prefers to be in a position where they never have to make the move ... because the Democrats cave in on every meaningful vote while sanctimoniously claiming that they’ve protected the sanctity of the Senate rules.