The $31 trillion is
the debt - the difference between federal income and federal outlays. The actual federal outlay was
significantly higher.
I know your last question is rhetorical but consider the work of NASA. Would you call the Mars rovers constructive and meaningful? What about the James Webb telescope?
We also spend a lot of money stabilizing the agricultural market to maintain a steady food supply. Is that constructive and meaningful?
What about all the medical research we fund? Is that worth it? After all that research has led to the discovery of cures for various cancers and has saved lives.
It should also be duly noted that Joe Biden and the Democrat-led Congress has been able to do something that hasn't been done in over 40 years - they got an infrastructure bill passed and it was quite comprehensive.
All your questions, even if rhetorical, point to why elections matter.