Poll: Obama retains national lead, struggles on economy

{mosads}Obama could have a tough sell arguing, as he has at recent campaign stops, that government can help enable job creation. Three in four voters say Americans rely too much on the government, and three in 10 say most Americans would prefer to live off the government dole than work for a living.

The president also continued to struggle on economic questions in the survey, with nearly half (49 percent) of voters saying he has made the economy worse. Compared to 37 percent who say he has improved the economy, Obama posts a 12 percentage-point deficit on that crucial metric.

The poll also found voters split on the president’s tax proposal. While voters supported tax increases on those making more than $250,000 per year by a 10-point margin, some 72 percent say it’s a bad idea to raise taxes during an economic downturn.