So how is this filibustering supposed to work?

[Skidmore]

People keep talking forever or is there a paper mechanism that can keep the nomination tied up foreer? Experts?

[longship]

1. Filibuster has morphed.

As far as I know, debate continues unless there's 60 Senators who want to shut down debate, forever, if need be. It is no longer required that a single senator, or group of senators hold the floor, e.g., "Mr. Smith goes to Washington".

[unblock]

2. simply put, you need 60 votes to "end debate" and call for a vote

the motion is called "cloture" and is what ends debate in the senate, after which the real, majority vote can be called.

in the old days, you had to continuously stand and speak while you had the floor, making a filibuster a dramatic endurance display, which also brought all senate business to a halt (well, the committees could still meet, but the floor way tied up).

since then, they changed the rules so that you no longer have to stand and block all senate business. other matters can proceed, but the vote itself still can't happen until you get the 60 votes needed for cloture.

so in theory, 41 senators can stop anything from happening. in practice, the filibuster is only used rarely, as overuse would make it degenerate into a 60 vote requirement for anything.