Democrats hope to decide today on a strategy for moving a year-end omnibus spending bill, with earmarks playing a key role.

Democrats appear to have given up on moving an omnibus that exceeds Bush’s spending limit, but now must decide whether to move a measure that includes earmarks or not. Solid GOP and White House opposition to the original “split the difference” proposal has forced Democrats to dramatically reduce their spending aspirations, but they remain split on whether the final omnibus should include earmarks. House Appropriations Chairman Obey wants to eliminate most earmarks, but Senate Democrats want to preserve them. The yearlong CR that funded agencies (except Defense and Homeland Security) for fiscal 2007 included no earmarks, and many lawmakers are eager to have them once again.

“If you want to know how soon we’re going to get out of here, just tell me how soon the Senate is going to sell us out,” Obey told reporters yesterday, referring to bipartisan Senate support for earmarks — and perhaps foreshadowing the final decision. “The question,” Obey said, “is whether people care more about their earmarks than they do about shutting down the war or getting a decent increase in investments for domestic funds. If earmarks are included, that means you have to cut programs by $9 billion below the level you would otherwise have to cut them. Members are going to have to decide if whether that’s what they came here to do.” Senate Majority Leader Reid said he was “happy to listen” to Obey’s position but also that lawmakers should “have equal say as to what should be spent in our states.” Senate Minority Leader McConnell said that if the House passes a bill that would spend more than the president’s level, he wants to offer an amendment to cut funding across the board to comply with Bush’s limit. GOP aides said such an amendment would preserve any earmarks but reduce their funding.