American Debt and Why?

So the American debt is at $20 trillion. How did we get here? Was it the social security? No because that is a separate tax for income taxes, that was suppose to go into a pension fund, but is put into 30 US government bonds. Is is to much welfare? No, because we should help all Americans out of poverty, and I mean all through rehabilitation, job training, a criminal should not be branded on the ass or he or she goes back into the same vicious circle of doing what they did before, because they can't get a job in the first place. No, we have wasted it on private prisons, being the world's policemen, the drug war and senseless conflicts in the Middle East. Should we cut taxes, why, just cut back on the restrictions and wars that we fight that causes black markets that make thugs richer. Legalize drug, but regulate and tax. Cut back on the international activity that we think we as a country is the whole answer to the world's problem and that our way is the only way. Do you go around telling the community or neighborhood telling them what they can do and not do?