As this is being written, the government of the United States is shut down. The Republicans, who control all three branches of the federal government, are blaming the Democrats. The Democrats currently have enough votes to prevent the Republicans from simply doing whatever they want but there is the question of why the Democrats are not simply rolling over for the Republicans.

The Democrats have claimed they want to extend the tax credits that make purchasing health insurance more affordable for those using the “Obamacare” marketplace. They also want to undo the Medicaid cuts in Trump’s “big bill.” Given the high cost of insurance premiums and how much people, especially those in many Republican states, depend on Medicaid, the Democrats’ goal seems morally commendable. The Republicans understand that saying they are shutting down the government because the Democrats want to help people afford health care would make them look bad, so they falsely claim that the “Democrats shut down the government because they want to give free health care to immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally.”

But people in the United States illegally are not eligible for federal health care programs, which obviously include the insurance provided by Obamacare and Medicaid. Hence, the Republicans in question are either in error or lying. But there is a small slice, a sliver, of truth embedded deep within these untruths.

From a rhetorical standpoint, this technique allows untruths to be “anchored” to a true claim. This can allow a deflection tactic to be used against critics by insisting that the critics are denying the true sliver when they are, in fact, criticizing the untruth. From a psychological perspective, this method might also allow people to feel better about lying as they can rationalize their lies by telling themselves they are saying something true. As Christianity condemns lying, anyone who professes to be a Christian might find this tactic useful, should they wish to deceive themselves and others. But, of course, God cannot be deceived. Morally this method is also problematic, since it involves both lying and attempting to misuse the truth as part of a deception. But what is the sliver of truth behind these untruths?

The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986 requires hospitals that receive Medicaid funds to provide emergency care for which they are compensated (and rightly so) by Medicaid. A person in the United States illegally, but who meets the requirements of the act, can thus receive emergency medical treatment and the hospital providing the service can receive compensation from Medicaid. As such, by wanting to reverse the cuts to Medicaid the Democrats do want more funds to be available and a minute fraction of which might go to compensate an American hospital that treated someone here illegally. But this is required by a 1986 law from when Reagan was President, so blaming the Democrats for the shutdown because of this law would be absurd. Also, this act should be supported by any Christian who professes to be moved by the tale of the good Samaritan. From a non-religious perspective, it is also an ethical law. To let people suffer or die simply because of their legal status would be morally monstrous. It is also reasonable that the hospitals be compensated for these services, especially given how underfunded many community hospitals are. As such, it is also clear why Republicans are not focusing on this act and are instead offering straw man attacks on the Democrats.

Trump claimed that “We’ll probably have a shutdown because one of the things they want to do is they want to give incredible Medicare, Cadillac, the Cadillac Medicare, to illegal immigrants.” Then he added “they want to have illegal aliens come into our country and get massive health care at the cost to everybody else.” This claim was echoed by Vance and Mike Johnson. This is an obvious straw man, even laying aside that there is no such thing as Cadilac Medicare. But this is rhetorically effective move since it appeals to fears famously exploited by President Reagan that the wrong people are getting public money. This version has the added power of appealing to xenophobia; that people from somewhere else are taking what should be going to Americans.

While some people might believe the lies, even those who know better might still support the Republicans even if doing so would hurt them personally. Many Republicans rely on the tax credits, and many Republican states depend on Medicaid dollars. But there are those who are willing to hurt themselves if doing so hurts people they do not like. A good (or bad) example of this is how racism drained public pools, support for universal healthcare and other policies. Racism is a powerful force in the United States as is xenophobia; combining these two is an effective way to get some people to act against their own interest and thus hurt everyone. Which seems to be a goal of the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress, something that even MTG seems to recognize.