<p>In less than two weeks, the federal government will run out of money to pay its bills unless Congress raises the nation’s $14.3-trillion borrowing limit. Congress and the White House are now in a contentious debate over the debt ceiling. If Congress fails to act, the government will likely default on its debt with potentially catastrophic economic results. With the deadline looming, Brown University political scientist Wendy Schiller explains what makes this time so different.</p>