No matter if it has to do with re-election or not, politicians are kidding themselves if they pretend that college students are not an important part of their constituent base.

President Barack Obama is traveling to college campuses across the nation. According to the Los Angeles Times, House Speaker John A. Boehner said, “This is beneath the dignity of the White House,” arguing that Obama’s focus is on getting re-elected, not tackling the debt issue.

It’s hard to see how talking to college students is an undignified thing for the president to do.

Obviously Obama is trying to get re-elected and interacting with the voting community is the right thing to do.

Obama said he plans to keep student loan interest rates down, a dilemma that Congress can’t seem to solve on top of everything else that gets subjected to its gridlock.

If student loan interest rates go up, legislators will face the wrath of college students and their cash-strapped parents. The higher interest rates climb, the higher the chance of losing a bid at re-election.

Obama isn’t just trying to get votes. He’s trying to save face for the executive branch, but also government in general.

Education is a bipartisan issue. If no one makes a decision by July 1 concerning student loan interest rates, they will double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent, according to the Los Angeles Times.

College students build the future. Boehner cannot say that college students are unworthy of the White House when he is supposed to be looking out for them. If the president is willing to speak honestly with the people that elected him and could elect him again, he should be respected.

Obama can have whatever reason he wants for coming to colleges. Politicians like Boehner need to recognize that college students help decide who will keep a seat in Congress.

College students can vote like other adults. They pay interest on student loans. They matter.

Sure, they do not have the reach of special interest groups or the influence of wealthy businessmen, but students are important. Soon they will be making the important decisions for this nation and politicians need to stop and think before they insult them.

Students should not be considered inferior because they are not stationed at the White House with other lobbyists. Most of these politicians had a time in their life when they were studying for finals and trying to memorize every element in the periodic table. Instead of treating them as some subgroup of political participation, politicians should realize that students represent the hard work and dedication ingrained in the foundation of the United States.

Obama should not receive a scolding for reaching out to the future of the United States. The reason shouldn’t matter. The fact that he is putting out the effort is all that people should care about.

Boehner needs to stop complaining about college students and start looking out for them.

— Megan Hurley is a journalism junior. She can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu or on Twitter via @WildcatOpinions .