The speech that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered prior to the vote on the market-rescue legislation was predictably destructive, artless and unnecessarily provocative (“Nancy’s Disaster,” Editorial, Sept. 29).

Her endless press conferences about reaching a bipartisan consensus appear to have been dishonest from the start.

Is this what passes for leadership among Democrats?

Lisa Barlerin

Manhattan

The sky is falling, our nation’s economy is in collapse and a worldwide credit freeze may be on the horizon – and Congress goes into recess?

I guess this either belies the dire mantras we hear every day or shows, once again, the ineffectiveness and ineptitude of Pelosi and her so-called leadership.

Tony Ditizio

Farmingdale

Maybe I misread, but I believe what you are saying in “Nancy’s Disaster” is that Pelosi is responsible for the actions of other members of Congress.

You, and you alone, are responsible for your feelings and your behavior. Until people understand this, the world will never improve.

Many Republicans and many Democrats voted against this bill; let them stand up and explain why.

Ephraim Brennan

Manhattan

Though Pelosi did show an astonishing lack of political tact at an inopportune time, the House of Representatives acted with inconceivable irresponsibility by failing to approve the economic rescue package.

Does any one of these utterly clueless representatives understand what their failure means to ordinary, hard-working Americans?

Most of us have pension plans tied to the stock market – pensions we have been working our entire lives to build. Now those pensions, some of which are less than the annual income of some elected officials, are in jeopardy.

Barry Moskowitz

New City

Are you sure it was partisan politics that sunk this?

I petitioned to Republicans and Democrats alike to not pass this bailout.

You can’t fix a problem with the people who caused the problem in the first place.

Billy Wiggins

South Ozone Park

Once again, it’s politics as usual – blaming the other party for the mess.

Why not blame the financial people who made the bad decisions and compounded them repeatedly?

Now the real taxpayers are expected to pay for their bad management, investments and decisions while the politicians cater to the wealthy corporations and lobbyists and continue to ignore the majority of the real people.

Who’s going to bail out the taxpayers?

Michael Shields

Manahttan

Why don’t we discuss the credibility problem with Congress?

While the mortgage mess was growing, Congress did nothing. Instead, they investigated steroids in baseball and the firing of eight US attorneys.

Looking back, what would have been more important? Why should we trust them now?

Edward Troy

Huntington

The bill, a $700 billion corruption tax, failed because the public has zero confidence in the government, a government that daily takes on the mantle of a “criminal enterprise” by lying, looting the Treasury and ignoring the nation’s laws.

Larry Trapani

Queens

Does anyone think that the posturing and play-acting by these politicos regarding the meltdown of America is real?

Why let the ones who created this mess off the hook? Why reward them for recklessness and theft?

If America has $700 billion to throw around, send a check to every hard-working American.

My check for $2,333 should be in the mail in time for me to grocery shop, buy another tank of gas, pay my healthcare bill and keep the wolf away for one more month.

Deborah Fleming

Lavallette, NJ