I am not entirely sure how it was possible, but it appears that Kevin McCarthy was able to find a deal that may, in fact, be worse than a clean debt ceiling increase. But based on feedback from conservatives in Congress and activists from around the country, that appears to be what we have.

In previous writings, I contended that, as long as Republicans didn’t snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, any deal would be a win and progressives acted as though this was the case. But McCarthy, true to form for Republican leadership, seems to have done exactly that with the bill that has come out.

The text of the bill, which was released last night, confirms that spending is frozen at Fiscal Year 2022 levels, but there doesn’t appear to be a dollar limit to the debt ceiling increase that comes along with that. Conservatives are upset about this fact, as well as just how little the White House ultimately had to give up in exchange for the increase.

What’s more, McCarthy is doubling-down in the face of this criticism.

Some of the things Republicans called for, like expanded work requirements for SNAP benefits, did make it into the bills. It also clawed back unspent COVID-19 relief funds. But those savings pale in comparison to the one percent non-military spending increase allowed next year, much less other problematic spending initiatives like the green subsidies in the (so-called) Inflation Reduction Act.

Congressman Chip Roy is at the forefront of the criticism, though he’s certainly not the only one with complaints about the deal.

I wish that were true. $4 Trillion for keeping (effectively) bloated 2023 spending levels & maintenance of the Democrats’ wish list – crony IRA unreliable energy subsidies stay, IRS expansion 98% stays, work requirements weak and don’t apply to Medicaid… https://t.co/f3i4fTlWRs

— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) May 28, 2023

It is quite telling that McCarthy’s initial tweet touting the deal got the Community Notes treatment on Twitter. As it notes, this debt limit deal doesn’t cut spending, it just limits how fast spending grows. What’s more, there are reports that every Democrat in the House – including the Progressive Caucus – is ready to vote for the deal, which should be a pretty clear sign McCarthy got rolled.

Others had similar complaints about the deal, including Senate Republicans.

With Republicans like these, who needs Democrats? https://t.co/EFpSkh2N8q

— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) May 28, 2023

He’s right. There’s not “one thing” for Dems.

There are $4 trillion things—a blank check—for Democrats.

Plus 87,000 things: new IRS agents to harass Americans.

All in exchange for eliminating virtually ALL of the House’s spending cuts. 🤦‍♂️ https://t.co/7OnaHFePeW

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 28, 2023

I have been on the record as saying that by getting the Democrats to the table in the first place, Republicans had won. It was just a matter of how much they won. But McCarthy has managed to do something extraordinary. He took a winning position and turned it into a full retreat on the issues that matter most.

Getting work requirements for social welfare is all fine and dandy, but you know what would make the amount we’re spending on that social welfare a considerably smaller problem? Meaningful cuts in spending from literally anywhere else. Not freezing spending. Actual cuts. A deal that increases the federal debt by $4 trillion isn’t a deal at all. It’s a poke in the eye to the people McCarthy promised he would give a seat at the table.

Biden and the White House were in a losing position. The polling was clearly against them, and it was shaping up to be a massive win for Republicans heading into an election year. Instead, what McCarthy brought back was a deal that makes the White House look good, and any opposition from the Republicans in the House ends up making them look worse. How on earth do you look at the playing field, see a win, and decide to retreat?

You don’t, unless you’re really all in favor of big spending and you just wanted to be the leader of the party so you could have the power and influence of a leader without doing anything meaningful.

This is extremely embarrassing and, yet, completely on-brand.