Government created jobs would get obviously dumb really fast if they're implemented with any kind of kindness. How many times can one dig and then fill in a hole, or equivalent, before one questions why?

I'm afraid it would be a mean implementation that leaves a good chunk of the population uncovered and desperate, and makes the do-nothing government positions a prestige thing. Y'know, almost like Britain used to be, but this time the peasants actually are disposable.