Not surprisingly, the White House has announced a set of recess appointments, including Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board. This assertion of executive power is totally unprecedented. To be sure, previous presidents have made recess appointments, but none of them, in the entire history of this fragile and now-teetering republic, has ever appointed Craig Becker.
If you don't know why Becker's nomination is a big deal, read John Judis.