It's NOT a good thing. The deal sucks. Still, it looks like the best the Dems could get from a position of relative weakness.

But the alternative -- no filibuster at all, no opportunity -- would have been worse. Kos breaks it down nicely here.

As someone else put it, the deal, for the Dems, was like letting someone steal your girlfriend, but feeling happy that you will still have the right to keep dating.