Mischaracterizing a position in order to make it look absurd or unpalatable is a common error in reasoning referred to as:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The error described is specifically known as a "straw man" argument, where someone creates a distorted or exaggerated version of another person's argument in order to make it easier to attack or dismiss. It is a type of fallacy in which the opponent's argument is misrepresented in order to make it easier to attack.

Mischaracterizing a Position in Order to Make It Look Absurd