Actually, despite McConnell's threat to block the confirmation of any cabinet official or agency head he doesn't like, that's not a power he has. He can block senate confirmation, but a President doesn't need it. He can appoint as acting secretary or agency head anybody who has ever been confirmed by the senate, or any GS15 or higher civil servant who has been at an agency for at least 90 days. So that means pretty much anybody qualified, just 90 days later!
He has to make those vacancy appointments when congress is not in session, but he and the Speaker can force congress into recess any time he wants, for as long as he wants. It's in the Constitution!
Those appointments are only legal for two years (but Trump ignored that), so he could just shuffle two people between the head and assistant jobs each term. Trump used these appointments a LOT just because having his saboteurs questioned on the record would have been embarrassing.
I agree entirely with having some minority party input on lifetime confirmations of judges. I would also really like Supreme Court Justices to have some ethical constraints. For example Alito should recuse himself on abortion or LGBT cases in the future after his recent Federalist Society speech, but I doubt he will.
