Poll shows support for raising taxes on the rich

(AP) An AP-GfK poll shows there's clear support for President Barack Obama's insistence on raising taxes on the highest-income Americans. There's also a dwindling preference for cutting government services as the best way to curb budget deficits.

The findings seem to strengthen Obama's hand in his fiscal cliff negotiations with Republicans. The president wants to raise taxes on the rich and cut spending by less than the GOP wants.

In the poll, 48 percent want tax cuts on income exceeding $250,000 to expire in January while continuing them for everyone else. Just 32 percent want to renew the tax cuts for everyone.

More people want to cut government services than raise taxes to reduce federal deficits. But the number with that preference has been dropping since last year.