As a non-American living here, I think it boils down to social attitudes. Remember, this is a nation of "temporarily embarrassed millionaires". The general att

As a non-American living here, I think it boils down to social attitudes. Remember, this is a nation of "temporarily embarrassed millionaires". The general attitude in the US is more like "Everything is a choice" rather than "The Government should do things that are broadly good for everyone". So anything that gives relief to students as whole will be deeply unpopular, but universities charging exorbitant rates and employers using college degrees as a filter for jobs that don't need them are okay, because it's your choice to get into student debt for a degree, or because it's your choice as an employer to use whatever filter you want. This attitude is really hard to change because practically anyone in the US who is admired or famous is so because of their wealth. All the parents think that their kid is going to be good enough to go to Harvard and become a millionaire. And that is why they pony up the ridiculous fees that keep their child in facilities that are ridiculously good for some petulant 18-year olds.