If the U.S. fails to raise the debt ceiling in time, we'll default on loans from a whole bunch of lenders. Our two top foreign creditors — China and Japan — have both warned the U.S. government to be careful. What’s at stake for them?
On a day of dueling press conferences over the federal shutdown, private observers say the date we may exhaust our borrowing authority may be later than expected.
Many are talking about "prioritization," the idea that the government can pick-and-choose who it will pay. But when you take a look at how many payments the government processes each day — and how — you see it is far from easy.