Topics by Money For the Rest of Us

What could happen if the U.S. Congress doesn't raise the debt ceiling and defaults on U.S. financial obligations.

Why the likelihood of a future fiscal crisis sparked by the national debt depends on whether there is a limited or an unlimited supply of money. Is it possible the federal government's endless borrowing could crowd out the private sector and harm the economy?

What does the U.S. government spend its money on. Why cutting federal spending and trying to lower the national debt reduces household income and spending, potentially causing a recession.

Why some nations are at risk of default on their national debt and others are not. Why the U.S. national debt will never be repaid.

Why all federal governments are insolvent but investors still line up to buy government debt at low interest rates.

This was the fourth episode of Money For the Rest of Us and the first attempt at explaining through a metaphor of a seesaw how households, businesses and governments all interact to create federal budget deficits and increase the national debt.

Season 2 of Topics will help you become an expert on all aspects the National Debt from how sustainable is it, the debt ceiling, budget deficits, Social Security and what happens if the U.S defaults.

To what extent is the U.S. dollar used outside of the U.S., what could cause the dollar shortage and would the impact be. 

How money originated thousands of years ago and why our relationship with money is driven by the stories we tell.

How federal governments allow banks to create the vast majority of the world's money supply, and why that erodes the value of money over time.