What are credit default swaps?

Tanya Carlina Hsu in her article "Death of the American Empire" writing on Global Research October 23 explained that, "America is self-destructing and bringing the rest of the world down with it.

"Propped up by false hope, America is now falling like a house of cards."

Tanya Carlina Hsu sounds a warning call to politicians and Wall Street that can only be ignored at high risk.  The great empire of ancient Greece lasted approximately 400 years and the powerful Roman Empire approximately 600 years.  The American empire's history stretches back 232 years.