Why is everything suddenly a catastrophe?

Is it just me, or do you feel it is the President's job to try to talk UP the country. It seems like everytime I turn on the tv or read the paper or go on the internet it seems like either the President, Larry Summers, or someone in Congress is saying if we don't pass this stimulus business ASAP we are going to go into Armageddon and never coming out. Its not that I don't think we have some serious issues to address, but it just seems that we are jumping the gun a bit.
Personally, I think they are about 4 months late on that call. From this chair, the worst times I have personally seen, not that I have a decades long track record, but I do work with people who do, was the first 2 weeks of October. Those two weeks seemed like the longest days I have ever had. The market was dropping 500+ points per day, banks were going out of business, everything was full meltdown; the system was crumbling, and crumbling FAST. The general populace just didn't see that aspect of it at the time; it hadn't sunk in. Currently, the banking system is still a mess, consumer confidence is in the toilet, business confidence is also in the toilet, but the credit markets (where companies go to get loans and issue debt which is what ultimately allows them to expand or even meet payroll) is starting to thaw out. I do think that heavy measures need to be taken to claw our way back out of this, but no matter what, that is going to take a while. Again, personally, I don't see the need to rush this thing out at the expense of looking at what is going to help the most. It is still a trillion dollars that SOMEONE is going to have to pay for.
It just seems to me that the President's job is to instill confidence in the system, to be the country's cheer leader and to inspire people. What we really have is a crisis of confidence. What are all these assets worth? Will my bank be around tomorrow? Will I have a job? Can I retire? Can I afford....? All need confidence. To me, when I hear if we don't spend $1 trillion right now we are all going to die a horrible slow excrutiating death, but only after we are all on the street foraiging for food, I don't get a whole lot of confidence. Actually, I think it has the opposite effect.
Don't get me wrong, I think the President needs to be straight with people, I just hope we are not sensationalizing for the sake of it, just so egg isn't on someone's approval rating. Regardless of you political viewpoint, Obama has a reputation as a excellent speaker with very charasmatic abilities. I just wish those talents would be used spreading a positive message and being a cheerleader to bring out the best in this country, not trying to sell a package that likely doesn't have the support of the majority of the populace.