“Debtpocalypse” (debt + apocalypse) became a popular term in July 2011, as the federal government discussed raising the nation’s debt ceiling and debated cutting spending (to decrease the federal debt). Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner had said that not raising the debt ceiling would cause federal defaults and result in financial disaster (such as an apocalypse or Armageddon).
 
“Debtpocalypse” has been cited in print since at least 2007 (when it was the name of a short-lived blog), but was otherwise little-used until 2011.
 
A similar term is “debtmageddon” (debt + Armageddon).
         
   
Debtpocalypse
Monday, December 3, 2007
Treasury Paulson December 3 2007
Our Treasury Secretary spoke today. His speech is here:
http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp706.htm
   
ConservativeHome’s ToryDiary
‘Ken Clarke would have been the Tories’ McCain’
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COMMENTS
When the debtpocalypse bites, British people will start looking at the Eurozone with envious eyes.
Posted by: Martin Coxall | February 11, 2008 at 16:04
 
Ars Technica
WDReinhart
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 10:20 am
I really hope this is sarcasm, because at least until gas hit $4 and the debtpocalypse made us all into cheapskates, it was *exactly* like that… 
 
Verum Serum
Debt-pocalypse: President Throwing a Giant Birthday Bash Fundraiser the Day After Debt Deadline
John on July 14, 2011 at 2:50 pm
We’re getting daily Cassandra-like warnings from this administration about the extreme urgency of making the debt ceiling deadline. Today it was Tim Geithner. Just a few days ago the President said he couldn’t guarantee Social Security checks would go out. But never let a little thing like national default ruin a good party:...
     
RevolutionaryRascal
esday, July 19, 2011
Debtpocalypse Now
One of the most influential Democratic operatives in Washington says the GOP plan to extract enormous conservative concessions from President Obama in exchange for raising the debt ceiling will backfire. If Republicans push ahead with this tactic, they’ll be forced to backpedal quickly.
 
Business Insider
Debtpocalypse: Hedge Funds And Short Sellers Think These Stocks Will Be OK
Kapitall | Jul. 22, 2011, 3:38 PM
(Article by Andrew Dominguez. List compiled by Andrew Dominguez and Danny Guttridge. Data sourced from Finviz, Fidelity, and Yahoo! Finance.)
The US Federal Government has never defaulted on its debt. As a result, US Treasuries are seen as one of single safest investments in the world.