This actually works on several levels.

The first level: Conservatives will remember the Republican sell-out in the face of pressure from the left. Paul Ryan is still taking flack for his — now disowned — vote for the legislation. And Ryan has more fiscal credibility than most.

The second level: It’s another piece of “we have to do this unpleasant thing or the nation will suffer immeasurably” crap that we’ll later discover was never really necessary and simply the result of pressure from the left.

Mark my words. Mark the words of the Club for Growth, Heritage Foundation, and conservative members of Congress, too. We’ll come to regret letting this moment come and go without reform.

This is our chance to reform entitlements. After this, there will be no pressure for reform until the next debt ceiling vote — $900 billion from now. Congress will go back to business as usual. And the get-along Republicans will be shocked. Again.