Only 17 percent of Americans approve of how the GOP is handling negotiations. | POLITICO Staff Poll: 69% disapprove of GOP on cliff

Nearly seven in 10 Americans disapprove of how congressional Republicans are handling the fiscal cliff, according to a poll released Tuesday, with a bare majority expecting a deal to be reached by the end of 2012.

Only 17 percent of Americans approve of how the GOP is handling negotiations, while 69 percent disapprove, according to a new CBS News poll. Fifty percent disapprove of how Obama and congressional Democrats are negotiating, while 38 percent approve.


( PHOTOS: Fiscal cliff’s key players)

Half of Americans think Congress and the president will reach a deal to avert the cliff, which amounts to a package of widespread tax increases and deep spending cuts that will go into effect at the beginning of 2013. Forty-four percent think a deal probably won’t be reached.

An overwhelming majority of Americans — 69 percent — continue to support raising taxes on all income above $250,000 a year, with even a majority of Republicans supporting such a deal. Only 45 percent support reducing government benefits “for people like you,” with 48 percent opposed.

( PHOTOS: 12 Republicans resigned to higher taxes)

The poll was conducted Dec. 12 -16, with a sample of 1,179 adults. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.