Joe Bruno is strutting around like a peacock on PCP after his great budget "victory" this week. The media spin certainly makes him out to be cock of the walk, delivering state bucks to key Senate Republican constituencies - though we'll want to look at the details before we make any final judgments.

What's interesting is how the reaction shows just how much difference there is between Joe Bruno and the rest of New York's (small and ineffectual) right. The state's conservatives are criticizing Spitzer for caving to the Senate majority leader, which means they're also going after Bruno himself. Assembly minority leader James Tedisco, for instance, regretted that "the budget process just knocked the reform train off the tracks." And he was clear about where the responsibility lies:

Tedisco said Spitzer's lofty goals of bringing about major fiscal reform had fallen victim to the "twin buzz saws" of "the insatiable spending levels of the New York state Legislature" and special interests groups. Tedisco said Bruno and Silver were to blame for that.

And Conservative Party chairman Mike Long blasted the budget's spending levels, implicitly acknowledging the Senate's role in thwarting some of the governor's attempts at restraint.

Conservatives will always howl that too much money is being spent. But at least they have a philosophy. The budget fight has provided stark illustration of the fact that Joe Bruno's Senate machine has no ideology. It exists for one purpose alone: to keep Bruno in power. It will dole out whatever pork the majority leader deems necessary for this purpose. As long as the pork keeps flowing, the theory goes, the votes - especially upstate - will keep coming. The New York State GOP may as well throw its platform in the trash. It is the party of Joe Bruno - nothing more.

Bruno stands for nothing. He doesn't even pretend to stand for anything but his own self-interest. He even complains about how much he hates public service. And yet, he seems pretty sanguine about staying in power for a few more years at least:

The state Legislature's top Republican was crowing Monday over a new state budget he and GOP colleagues managed to stuff with more money for areas of the state crucial to his party's interests.

"Whatever happened? Two months ago my days were numbered," said state Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.

Don't worry, Joe. You stand for nothing and your party is dying. Your days are still numbered.

h/t: Capitol Confidential.

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