Sorry, I'm busy at the moment <a href=" http://www.laughmom.com/the-outsiders-essays/#table ">assignment for me</a> And so we come to the debt ceiling. It is worth remembering what the debt ceiling is, and what it isn't. As many members of Congress like to remind us, the legislative branch alone has the power of the purse &ndash; the power to tax, the power to spend and the power to borrow. If Congress doesn't affirmatively increase the amount of credit the United States uses to fund its ongoing operations, we will reach our credit limit and stop paying our bills.