In a recent opinion piece for American Thinker, columnist Eric Utter poses a question that has simmered in conservative circles since 2020: What the hell happened to America? The answer, he suggests, may be more unsettling than any single political scandal—and he doesn’t rule out a sinister role for the COVID vaccines.
Utter, writing on August 14, 2026, tracks the nation’s rapid shift toward what he calls “socialism (communism lite)” and wonders how a country founded on anti-monarchist principles could so quickly embrace ideas with such a dismal track record. He points to the pandemic lockdowns as a kind of obedience test that leftists interpreted as a green light to drop all pretense.
A Nation Hooked on Obedience
“They were O.K. with being told that many of their jobs were unnecessary? They obeyed the order to not attend their families’ weddings and funerals? Remarkable!” Utter writes, marveling at the compliance of millions. He contrasts that with the Founders, who, he argues, would have rebelled against such mandates—and would have had the heads of those who tried to enforce them.
“George Washington was asked to be king. He declined,” Utter reminds readers, underscoring the Founders’ commitment to a “No Kings” republic. Yet today, he laments, so many have become infatuated with Marxism, just as others post-9/11 became intoxicated with Islam.
Blame Academia and Media—But Maybe Something More
Utter acknowledges that academia and media deserve some blame, noting that history and economics—the two subjects most vital to a functioning society—are taught and reported poorly. Born after the Cold War and 9/11, many young Americans don’t grasp the stakes of those ideological battles.
But he insists there must be more. “Was there something in the vaccines?” he asks, admitting he doesn’t really believe it, but pointing to the explosion of “idiocy” since the Lockdown Days. The question is rhetorical, yet it frames his broader argument: something changed, and it wasn’t just a natural political evolution.
The Rise of the Socialists
Utter dismisses the notion that the Democratic Party is dead or that wokeness is in retreat. On the contrary, he argues, the party has been taken over by far-left zealots and ideologues—many of whom, he says, haven’t had an original thought in their lifetimes.
“Socialists, supposedly a minority in the Democrat party, have taken it over, ridden roughshod over any allegedly ‘moderate’ in their way, and are getting elected all over the fruited plain,” he writes. He questions how candidates with criminal records, hateful ideologies, or ties to groups like the DSA keep winning, while anyone slightly to the right of Mao is branded a “far-right extremist.”
A Perfect Candidate for the Left
Utter sketches a satirical ideal candidate for the modern left: someone with a long rap sheet, who identifies as a black trans bisexual woman, hates America and Christianity, wants open borders, the abolition of prisons, police, the Senate, and the presidency, and supports packing the court and making D.C. and Puerto Rico states.
He also laments what he sees as a transfer of empathy from families to criminals, pointing to how ICE is portrayed as “invading” cities when, in his view, it’s the undocumented who have invaded and committed crimes by crossing the border illegally.
Francesca Hong and the Wisconsin Governor Race
Utter zeroes in on Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary as a case study. He highlights Francesca Hong, a state representative who ran for governor with a platform that included abolishing the police and canceling Thanksgiving—which she reportedly said “brings out the worst in humanity.”
“Giving thanks brings out the worst in humanity?” Utter asks incredulously. “No, envy and entitlement bring out the worst in humanity, gratitude brings out the best.”
Though Hong didn’t win, the eventual nominee, David Crowley, according to Utter, said his policies closely align with hers, including abolishing the U.S. Senate, ending Milwaukee’s school choice program, and raising Wisconsin’s taxes to the highest in the nation. Utter asks why voters upset about food costs would support raising their own taxes.
The Unanswerable Question
Utter closes by returning to his opening query: “Was there a stupid gene in the COVID vaccines? Did the Plandemic break us? Or did we do it to ourselves?” For him, the answer may be unknowable, but the question is urgent.
The piece is a provocative take from a conservative perspective, reflecting deep frustration with the direction of American politics. Whether or not readers share Utter’s conclusions, his essay taps into a broader anxiety about how quickly the nation has changed—and what, if anything, caused it.
Source: www.americanthinker.com — https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/08/was-it-the-covid-vaccine-how-did-america-come-to-this/