The amendment, introduced by Senator Al Franken, would deny taxpayer dollars in the form of defense contracts to any company that asks employees to sign away their right to sue.

Their explanation? “We voted against the amendment because it was overly broad, banning arbitration in too many cases where it would benefit employees.”

Gasp! Too much benefit for employees? We can’t have that now, can we.

But this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this kind of elitism from the two gentlemen from Tennessee. They also voted for an amendment “that prohibits funds…from being used to directly or indirectly fund the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)” – an organization that fights for living and minimum wage legislation and increases, registers low- and moderate-income and minority citizens to vote, and counsels first-time home buyers.

For Senators Alexander and Corker, it’s this: “Large, national-treasury raiding and war profiteering defense contractors? Good! Working people trying to maintain a tenuous hold on the American Dream? Bad.