Why the U.S. is closing in on both a debt default and a government shutdown.

Topics covered include:

How a government shutdown differs from a debt ceiling crisis
Why hasn't Congress passed legislation to fund the government and raise the debt limit
How refusing to increase the debt ceiling could impact Social Security
How big is the national debt and who owns it
Why we never know how much federal debt is too much: Japan vs the U.S.
How federal debt is used and how it has led to financial innovation
Why countries default on their debt
What are some of the challenges with central banks pegging interest rates and monetizing the debt
What could cause the U.S. dollar to crash and inflation to soar