Jesus, Stephen, what are you, eight?

And just because it's the gift that keeps on giving, we'll revisit Canada's "Captain Democracy" Stephen Taylor to get a good look at the intellectual level of conservative discourse these days. Behold, the CPoC defense that Stephen seems so fond of:

ACTION PLAN WEBSITE: CORRECTING THE RECORD

Canadian Press reporter Bruce Cheadle has falsely reported that photographs of the Prime Minister have been removed from www.actionplan.gc.ca .

These reports are not true. Here are the facts:

* No photographs of the Prime Minister have been removed from the Action Plan website;

* Canadians have a right to know where and how the Government’s stimulus is being spent, and the Action Plan website helps provide this accountability;

* In addition, the website contains important information for Canadians on certain stimulus measures like the Home Renovation Tax Credit that are only available for a limited time.

Let's address the above a point at a time, shall we? The first point is obviously the contentious one, so feel free to argue it from either side, because it's not the one we care about. It's after that that things get positively infantile:

Canadians have a right to know where and how the Government’s stimulus is being spent, and the Action Plan website helps provide this accountability;

What. The. Fuck?

What in God's name does that claim have to do with anything? Of course we have a right to know how the money is being spent. No one's arguing that, so what does it have to do with the pissing contest at hand?

Oh. Now I get it.

See, this is what you call "arguing in bad faith." Or perhaps "bait and switch." You know -- when you deliberately misrepresent someone else's position just so you can argue against it. I imagine the discussion between a sane person (call him "CC") and a totally useless hack (call him, say, "ST") thusly:

CC: "It's against the law to have such partisan propaganda on a Government of Canada web page."

ST: "Oh, so you don't think the government should explain to people how that money's being spent?"

CC: "Um, no, that's not what I said. I think it's a terrific idea to get that information out there. I just don't think it should be wrapped in such obvious CPoC cheerleading."

ST: "Geez, you leftards are so predictable. First, you complain that the Stephen Harper is too secretive. But when they try to publish exactly what you've been asking for, you still whine about it. You're never happy, are you?"

See how that works? Sort of like commenter "Wilson" over here:

''On the page devoted to so-called real action, the government's web masters have actually managed to fit in a dozen postage-stamp-size shots of Harper.'' says hebert

Yah, and what's the point?
The govt website should have no pics? should have opposition leaders pics?

Yes, Wilson, that's clearly the point we're trying to make.

Was anyone else reminded of this?

P.S. I don't believe I need to address that third point, do I?