Why Do Thune and the GOP Hate Students?

Today the Senate tried to take a vote that would extend the interest rates of for student loans to 3.4% instead of doubling to 6.8%.  Thune said, "Nope, I don't want to vote for that.  Let the rates go up and stay there.  Who cares about the fact that middle class South Dakotans will have to pay up to a $1,000 a year more in student loan to be able to go to school.  That's chump change, right?  I mean, if they can't afford it then they don't deserve to go to college.  They can work for $10 an hour in a lot of manufacturing jobs right here in South Dakota!"

Okay, he didn't say that exactly.  In fact, he released nothing about why he voted to not allow a bill to keep loan rates where they currently are.  Tim Johnson decided that people would like to know where he stands with 35,000 college students in SD:

U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) today issued the following statement on the disappointing failure of the Keep Student Loans Affordable Act of 2013 (S.1238), a bill he cosponsored:

I am extremely disappointed that today the Senate could not come together to provide relief to our nation’s students by keeping their student loan interest rates at 3.4%—this means 35,000 South Dakota students will have $1,000 less in their pockets. Even though the majority voted in favor of the bill, a filibuster caused a need for a 60 vote supermajority. Especially at a time when student loan debt stands at over $1 trillion and is second only to mortgage debt, we should not make it harder for students to finance their education. I have heard from students and parents across South Dakota about the negative effect a rate hike will have on their families. Despite this setback, I remain committed to working with both sides of the aisle on a commonsense, bipartisan solution to improve education access and affordability. 

This should not come as a shock to most people.  The GOP in South Dakota have never wanted to really help students in this state.  In the last five years state support for higher education has decreased 19.1% (2007-2012) and from 2011-2012 it decreased 11.4%.  This means that students will be required to pay more in tuition.  

If you are a college student, have a child that is a college student, or think we need an educated future, ask yourself, WHy does the GOP hate students?