This time, the Repugs are making sure any moderates within their own party fall into lockstep:

But on Wednesday, Senate Republicans voted to change the committee assignments. Under the change, the Republican leader will be able to name his own choices to the first two vacancies on any committee. The rest would be filled as they are now, based on the seniority of lawmakers who want a given seat.

“I think it raises concerns about people constantly jockeying for position or worrying that their votes are going to be used against them,” Collins said.

She served on the committee that studied rule changes, but she and another committee member, Sen. Dick Lugar, R-Ind., both opposed this change in particular.

Nobody could lose a committee assignment. But, for example, anyone who wanted to move from the Banking Committee to the Appropriations Committee, which decides where the federal government spends its money, would have to please the caucus leader.

Because few seats on coveted committees change hands during each two-year election cycle in Congress, the change will allow the leader to largely decide who serves where.

“One scenario I don’t think that people have thought enough about is a case where there’s a contest for the leader’s position,” Collins said. “In a case like that, you can be sure that the candidates are going to be trading committee assignment promises for votes.”

Sounds like it’s time for Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe to see the handwriting on the wall.