Is that why the Republicans are against healthcare and education?

That's really interesting, same goes for religiousness.

I always think that it's because people who have it rougher need something to look forward to (ie afterlife). As education helps escape poverty, people become less religious. I wonder if this association is the reason for the political spectrum shift too, since the right tends to associate more closely with the church.

Yes. That is actually a fact. The more educated one is the higher the likely hood they tend to lean left