HMM: Credit default swaps are back in fashion — even if the panic might be overblown. “Credit default swaps are like insurance for investors. Buyers pay a fee to protect themselves in case the borrower — in this case the U.S. government — can’t repay their debt. When the cost of insuring the U.S. debt goes up, it’s a sign that investors are getting nervous.”

Hey, Congress — think this is maybe another indicator you might want to cut some spending?