Even as the unemployment rate sits near a record low and salaries continue to increase, pessimism never ceases to sell. Writing for CityLab, Laura Bliss asks, “if the Economy Is So Great, Why Are Car Loan Defaults at a Record High?” Though Bliss appears to have found a rare and dark corner of the economy, consumers and market prognosticators needn’t worry. While consumer debt is rising, surging private red ink is actually a vote of confidence in an increasingly-bright future. Instead of bemoaning the increase in household borrowing, pundits and policymakers should focus on the real issue: $22 trillion in federal debt, fueled by outrageous spending “compromises.”