WASHINGTON -- Either the curse on incumbent politicians is overshadowing peoples' judgment in these hard economic times or the nation is growing increasingly unhappy with its leader, who just one year ago carried a towering approval rating.

A majority of Americans -- 52 percent -- said they do not believe President Obama deserves a second term, in a new CNN survey. Forty-four percent thought he did, and 4 percent weren't sure.

Obama's approval rating slid to 49 percent in the survey, down from 76 percent around this time last year. Fifty percent today hold a negative view of his job performance, up from 23 percent a year ago.

Surveys in recent months have shown that independents are losing enthusiasm for the president faster than any other group, and that Obama has also lost considerable ground with progressives.

While the news isn't particularly great for Obama, he's still doing far better than other federal lawmakers.

Only 34 percent of the public believes the group of current members of Congress deserve re-election, while 63 percent say they don't. An unprecedentedly small number -- 51 percent -- think their own Congressperson should be elected to another term, while 44 percent said they should be defeated.