Flip-flop the parties and the rhetoric is strikingly similar to the debate that took place in 2005, when Republicans, who then held the majority, became frustrated after not being able to pass President George W. Bush's judicial nominees because of Democratic-led filibusters. Then-Majority Leader, Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn. - playing the role of Reid - threatened to change the rules of the filibuster, making it difficult to block judicial nominations. Meantime, then-Minority Leader Reid and his fellow Democrats - including then Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., were vehemently opposed to changing the filibuster in 2005.

The Republicans then:

"Despite the incredulous protestations of our Democratic colleagues, the Senate has repeatedly adjusted its rules as circumstances dictate." -Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., May 23, 2005.

"All of you know that we're struggling right now with an assault on over 220 years of Senate tradition by the Democrats filibustering circuit court nominees, thus denying us the reasonable responsibility of an up-or-down vote to give advice and consent." -Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., April 13, 2005

And now:

"I think it is a huge mistake, not only for the Senate, but it will impact obviously our short-term ability to come together and work on the really big problems." -McConnell, Nov. 27, 2012

"This is exactly the wrong way to start off on a new year and end an old year with a ton of problems that we have to deal with. ... we ought to be sitting down together and trying to solve the nation's huge, huge deficit and debt problems." -McConnell, Nov. 28, 2012

And the Democrats in 2005:

"If the majority chooses to end the filibuster, if they choose to change the rules and put an end to democratic debate, then the fighting and the gridlock and the bitterness will only get worse." -Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., April 13, 2005

Republicans "have to be very careful... before [they] start tinkering with the rules." -Reid, April 13, 2005

"You would be breaking the rules to change the rules, very un-America." -Reid, April 21, 2005

And now:

"The Republicans have increased the numbers of filibusters so out of proportion to any changes here in the Senate. It is hard to comprehend. The Senate is not working as it should." -Reid, Nov. 28, 2012

The American people "want to see progress, not partisan delay games. That hasn't changed, and the President supports Majority Leader Reid's efforts to reform the filibuster process." -White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer, Nov. 28, 2012

While Reid continues to threaten a change to the Senate rules and McConnell vows to fight it (this time), Reid might have the votes to go through with it. There are 19 out of 55 Democrats who have never served in the minority and would likely back Reid's current frustration over the lack of Senate action. But some of the longer-serving lawmakers, especially those who have served in both the majority and the minority and believe in the slow-deliberative style of the Senate, are working on a compromise that doesn't involve changing a Senate tradition.