Late Night: Iowa State Senator tells Concerned College Students to “Go Back Home.”

Shawn Hamerlinck

Earlier this week, five student leaders from Iowa universities attended a budget hearing in the Iowa state senate to describe the effects that a proposed $40 million in university budget cuts would have on students.

Students told of growing personal debt, “wildly” rising tuitions [sic] and other costs, strained resources and declining quality at regents institutions that have been repeatedly subject to state budget cuts.

“I’m learning just how many flavors Ramen Noodles come in,” said Spencer Walrath, UNI student government president, in discussing the impact that state budget cuts have had on college students.

They described

how state spending cuts were making college less affordable for students because of rising tuition rates at the same time that class sizes have been increasing and programs have been reduced.

Republican state Senator Shawn Hamerlinck told the students they were being “used as props in a Democratic “propaganda” effort to leverage more state spending.”

More of his condescending lecture:

“I do not like it when students actually come here and lobby me for funds. That’s just my opinion. I want to wish you guys the best. I want you to go home and graduate. But this political fear, leave the circus to us, OK?” he said.

Hamerlinck then proceeded to thank the student leaders for coming, and he said it was a good thing that they had carefully prepared their remarks. “But actually spending your time worrying about what we’re doing up here, I don’t want you to do that. Go back home. Thanks, guys,” he said.

Gee, I wonder if he tells corporate lobbyists the same thing? Listen to it: