Our mountain of debt

Who owns the nation’s debt and what happens if we default?

Sources: Bipartisan Policy Center; U.S. Treasury Department; Congressional Budget Office; Congressional Research Service; Government Accountability Office; Office of Management and Budget; and Bill Gross, founder and co-chief investment officer of the investment management firm Pimco. By Todd Lindeman. Published on July 18, 2011, 3:04 p.m.

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