Last week's Question of the Week asked whether it should be harder for people in debt to declare bankruptcy. More readers said yes than said no.

Among 859 responses to this unscientific poll, 464 said it should be more difficult and 395 said it should not.

Some readers' comments:

- I would say yes, except in cases where medical problems have caused people unusual and unreasonable financial difficulties. This is probably one of the biggest causes of bankruptcy in severely under and uninsured America.

- It should not be more difficult to declare bankruptcy. Instead, it should be more difficult for persons to obtain credit. Credit card companies prey on college students by offering them lines of credit with little or no proof of income. The offers come in students' bookstore bags and dorm welcome packets. Young students don't even know how to live on their own yet, much less handle the responsibility of credit cards. I had nearly $22,000 worth of debt when I was 22. I declared bankruptcy when I was 23, and now at 31 I am still paying for mistakes I made putting my groceries on my Visa when I was 18 or 19 years old. I work with college students as a career counselor and academic advisor, and I see this terrible phenomenon occurring today.

- There are certain debts that cannot be discharged by bankruptcy - unpaid taxes being one. I think the list should be expanded to include loans taken out to pay an attorney a retainer for bankruptcy representation. Additionally, were solvency restored within a period of, say, five years, obligations should have a way of resurfacing. When someone incurs a debt they are agreeing to pay it. Our system should be structured to acknowledge just that.

- When my oldest daughter was in college, she had no income, but received frequent credit card offers. At the same time, my younger daughter, who was making $20,000 per year as a waitress, was denied a credit card because her income was not considered "steady." Where is the sense in this? As long as credit card companies insist on enrolling people who do not have the means to pay down debt, the problems with national credit card debt will continue to balloon. Credit card companies pushed this bill as they push their product, and I have very little sympathy for them. At the same time as Congress pushes one more piece of legislation to make it harder for regular Americans to maintain their standard of living, they will do nothing to prevent corporations from filing bankruptcies. When airlines and savings and loans are on the threshold of bankruptcy, we, the taxpayers, will once again be expected to pony up to save them for their shareholders. Where is the justice in this?