Why now? Why didn't they do this in the first place?

[TheMuse]

That is my question regarding the new jobs and infrastructure initiative. Wouldn't it have made more sense to do this from the very beginning? A very large infrastructure bill should have been the key part in the stimulus. It would have accomplished a few key goals.

1) It would have put people back to work. Easy enough.

2) There would have been an effect on the economy as a whole as the suppliers for the project would have seen an increased demand for their goods and services (as well as their suppliers, and so on, and so on).

3) We have roads that are crumbling, bridges falling down, and an energy grid that is in desperate need of upgrading. We could have been well on our way to a smart grid by now.

4) It would have put additional tax dollars (via all the people that are now hired and paying taxes, as well as the increased economic activity as a whole increasing profits, and therefore more tax revenue).

It just seems to me that Obama's economic team did not grasp what was actually going on. Sure they passed the stimulus, but there was too large a percentage of tax cuts to appease Republicans and bailouts.

Is $50 billion even enough now? Is it too little too late? And of course the Republicans are going to jump on it in the election cycle to claim "look, even more government spending". It just fits right into their narrative (not that I am fighting the necessity of these programs, just the timing).