Bernie Sanders has proposed a federal program to offer a job to every citizen that wants one.

More commentary.

The question of whether this is the "most targeted use" of the money it will cost is a confusion, because the task to be done is primarily to give poor Americans more money. Different methods can have advantages and disadvantages, but the only way one can cost substantially less is by doing less of the job.

Rather, the challenge is to make sure that these jobs end up contributing useful results to society.