"Last night we had a very lively debate with Congressman Michele Bachmann, who said there is no way she'll vote to raise the debt ceiling. Opinion on Ms. Bachmann's rigid stance was divided, but many of you support her, despite being warned by Brit Hume and others that no debt deal will have severe economic consequences. Mike Windham of Madison, Georgia wrote this: 'I am floored you actually believe there would be a financial crisis.' All I can say, Mike, is that I don't know of one financial analyst who believes not getting a deal done would be a good thing for the economy. Then there's Tom Sheahan of Butler, Pennsylvania, who declared that 'Geithner and the President are wrong!" The unintended consequences of no debt deal will be felt by all Americans, even if some folks won't accept it. President Obama and the Democrats must drastically cut spending and put it in writing; they also must hold the current tax rates. If the Dems do those things, responsible Republicans must raise the debt ceiling one more time for the good of everyone."

The Factor welcomed Fox News contributor Laura Ingraham, whose new book documents the coarsening of American culture. "The book is hilarious and serious at the same time," Ingraham said, "and we have to laugh through this pain we're all in. The culture is toxic and parents say 'our children are self-actualizing, they're being themselves.' There are parents who don't want to parent, they want to be friends with their kids and they want to be the cool parents. Parents have to be parents, and when they don't do that kids feel like they can do whatever they want." The Factor lamented the general lack of responsibility permeating American culture: "One thing that has led to the deterioration of the culture is this sense of entitlement, this narcissism that is really taking over. The younger generation thinks it's entitled to our money and special treatment."

Fox News analysts Monica Crowley and Alan Colmes examined the proposition that the U.S. is in a state of cultural decline. "If you turn on any network in prime time," Crowley lamented, "you can see pretty much soft core porn. I trace this back to the 1960's anti-establishment, anti-war counter-culture that changed the standards. What we have seen from history is that empires that have gone down this road of extreme permissiveness have ultimately destroyed themselves." Colmes vehemently rejected Crowley's premise. "I feel like I'm in a time warp, this is a conversation every generation has - when I was a kid people would complain about how much better things used to be. What you call permissiveness I call progress." The Factor worried about the growing cultural divide: "There is going to be a huge separation between those who are successful and are well educated and everybody else who's going to have tattoos and piercings."

Author Sally Jacobs, whose new book explores the life of President Obama's father, entered the No Spin Zone with some of her findings. "Barack Obama Sr. was a reckless figure in many ways," Jacobs said. "He was certainly a heavy drinker, he had a great fondness for women, and he had a loose relationship with the truth. He tended to exaggerate things and sometimes pretended to be someone he wasn't. But he was also a bold and intelligent character - for him to get into Harvard was an amazing triumph. He had come from nowhere and got in because he was brilliant." Jacobs praised President Obama's book about his father. "He paints a very honest and direct portrait of his father and of himself. He had been told that his father was this great figure, but he was a tragic figure."

Ever the contrarian, Fox Business host John Stossel argued against a proposed law that would penalize parents who fail to report a missing child. "It may not be a terrible law," Stossel began, "but I object to your rush to judgment and your rush to say that every state should pass this law. Having laws passed after children tragically die is just a bad way to make law. Every time there's a verdict we don't like we're going to pass a law?" The Factor laid out the argument in favor of Caylee's Law: "Stats show that 76% of abducted children who are murdered are killed within three hours of their abduction, so it is imperative that a parent or guardian pick up the phone and call 9-1-1. This is a slam dunk and I can't imagine any politician voting against it."

The Factor asked legal analysts Kimberly Guilfoyle and Lis Wiehl whether Florida is now obligated to protect Casey Anthony. "If there's a direct and credible threat," Wiehl said, "then the state has an obligation just as they would to any other citizen. But there's been no one threat, so they shouldn't be spending a penny on her." Guilfoyle contended that Casey Anthony cost Florida hundreds of thousands of dollars. "There was a wild goose chase after she lied about her child being missing, when in fact she knew the child was deceased. The state can get a judgment against her and if she makes money off the death of her daughter, they have every right to go after her." The legal analysts turned to the Drug Enforcement Administration's claim that "medicinal marijuana" should not be legal. "There are certain benefits to medicinal marijuana," Guilfoyle said, "but do I think the law is being abused by people who get marijuana for recreational purposes? Absolutely! But the states are going to prevail in this."

The Factor asked Fox News analyst Karl Rove to predict whether a debt deal will be reached. "We are going to have to have a deal," Rove declared. "It probably won't be as robust as Republicans want it to be, it won't include taxes like the President wants, and it'll probably be done in such a way as to discombobulate the bond markets, at least temporarily." Rove chastised President Obama for refusing to make substantial and immediate cuts. "The President has no plan. He talks about $4-trillion, but if you had him on The Factor tonight he could not explain where that would come from." The Factor warned that without a deal "the stock market is going to tank because they don't like uncertainty on Wall Street."

Mary Treat, Mahomet, IL: "Bill, you were extra arrogant with Michele Bachmann. I was stunned to see you laugh at her."

Warren Arnold, Plano, TX: "Bachmann's tough love will take the current recession and turn it into a depression."

Ronald Royuk, Seward, NE: "Shame on you, Mr. O'Reilly, for losing your composure and shouting down Michele Bachmann."

Lili Rowe, Ashburn, VA: "You can't use reason to appeal to an ideologue like Michele Bachmann."

Tuesday's Patriot: Actress Mila Kunis, who accepted a Marine's YouTube invitation to accompany him to the Marine Corps Ball in November.