For all the drama generated every four years by Cabinet appointments, defeat of a nominee by a vote in the Senate is extremely rare.

President-elect Donald Trump has declared a strong intention to use recess appointments in his next term. What are recess appointments?

“Republican control of the Senate thus gives Trump the chance to use recess appointments in radically new way — basically, standing up a new government in one fell swoop, but only if the Senate is willing to give him carte blanche in filling appointments as he wishes for two years,” Cameron said.