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One area where this was extremely problematic was the National Labor Relations Board—three members had their five-year terms expire in 2012, and Senate Republicans filibustered Obama's replacements. With three empty seats, the NLRB would not have a quorum to function, and the practical effect would be that US labor law would no longer be enforced. (It's not hard to see this as the GOP's goal here).
The White House didn't want this to happen, and Obama contemplated and ultimately made “recess appointments” to the three seats.