"Do something"

I am so tired of hearing defenders of the Obama Administration respond to critics of the stimulus bill that the government needs to "do something" -- as though anything would be better than nothing. Would anyone really apply this attitude to their everyday life? If a doctor said that you were sick but wasn't cure what the proper cure was and volunteered to amputate your leg in order to "do something" would you accept? If a mechanic wasn't sure what was causing that weird noise but suggested going ahead and replacing the engine, would that sound like a good idea?