WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama is right to say that the majority of Americans support his tax plan, but Republicans are also correct to point to constituents who don’t think taxes on the wealthy should be raised.

Overall, 65 per cent of respondents in a new Quinnipiac University poll said they support raising taxes on households making over $250,000 in order to reduce the federal budget deficit. But those in favour were more likely to be Democrats.  A majority of Republicans—53 perc ent—said they oppose the plan, touted by the president throughout his reelection campaign.

Obama has tried to engage the public in his plan to raise taxes on the wealthy in order to reduce the deficit and strike a deal to avert year-end tax increases and spending cuts.

The poll shows that Obama does have some advantages when it comes to public opinion: His approval rating is the highest it’s been since the death of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. The public is also disenchanted with congressional Republicans.

“This is only the second time in more than three years that Obama has broken 50 per cent” in his approval rating, Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in a statement.

“And voters see Republicans as more likely to be obstructionist, and have less confidence in their ability to come up with the right solution to the nation’s financial woes.”

Respondents seemed unsure whether the White House and Congress could reach a deal to avert the cliff, with 48 per cent saying that it would be averted and 43 per cent saying the opposite.

The majority of Americans do have an opinion on the matter consuming Washington: Less than a third of respondents said they had no opinion on whether tax increases and spending cuts would affect  their personal finances.