Is Barack Obama finally getting the message?

His proposal for massive public works, rebuilding highways, train tracks and airport infrastructure may be too little too late.

I mean what took him so long?

This addresses the most vital need for so many -- a chance at a job.

Such jobs can also remove the huge negativity that the word 'government' carries around with it these days.

It is intriguing to note how government has become the fall guy in people's eyes, even though it was a lack of government oversight that led to the Wall Street excesses that caused this mess to begin with.

Fox News and Co. have been very effective in painting government as the problem not the solution.

And Obama has gone right along with that.

A massive jobs program on rebuilding the nation's infrastructure should have been the very first program announced in last year's stimulus package.

It is something people can see, feel, kick,, and understand what a regular pay check would do for thousands of unemployed in every state.

Alas, Obama listened to muddled financial advice that somehow put other projects, none of which has the clarity of the Labor Day announcement that he was putting people to work

'It's the unemployment stupid' is the reality of this election season and Obama has at last moved to address it.

Whether it is too late remains to be seen.