February 17, 2026
Ducks, shots, and shouting
How the Kakistocracy Became a Quackistocracy
Internet cackles at the pun, brawls over shots and science
TLDR: The article blasts anti‑vaccine and anti‑clean‑energy moves, claiming even a new Moderna flu shot wasn’t reviewed, and cites big savings from childhood vaccines. Comments loved the “Quackistocracy” pun while bracing for a bruising fight between pro‑science readers and skeptics over kids’ health, mandates, and money
The piece torches anti‑vaccine and anti‑clean‑energy moves as a slide from “kakistocracy” to “quackistocracy,” and the crowd immediately seized on the pun. One top comment cheered the wordplay, while others joked about ducks in lab coats to cope with a heavy claim: the author says the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wouldn’t even review a Moderna mRNA flu shot, and that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) pegs childhood vaccines at a huge return — about $11 saved for every $1 spent. Cue the chorus of “follow the money” and side‑eye at the wellness industry.
Then the thread split in classic internet fashion. Pro‑science readers rallied behind public health wins and the article’s clean‑energy tie‑in, warning that blocking wind and solar — and vaccines — risks real lives. Skeptics bristled at mandates and “Big Pharma,” predicting agency overreach and fear‑mongering. Some anticipated meme madness (ducks vs. snake oil), others braced for a full‑blown culture‑war brawl over whether mRNA — the tech behind Covid shots — is hero or hazard. Between laughs at the headline and grim worry about kids’ health and polluted air, the mood was equal parts comedy club and emergency room. Expect more fact‑checks, more clapbacks, and a lot more quacking in the replies
Key Points
- •The article states that childhood vaccination greatly reduced infectious diseases and, per a 2024 CDC estimate, returns about $11 in societal savings per $1 spent.
- •It claims right-wing anti-vaccine activism and Trump administration policies are contributing to a resurgence of nearly eliminated diseases and opposing vaccine mandates.
- •It asserts the administration has imposed a blockade on privately funded wind and solar projects, paralleling hostility to clean energy with anti-vaccine policies.
- •The article says the FDA refused to review Moderna’s mRNA-based flu vaccine, aligning with narratives that mRNA technology is harmful.
- •It highlights the wellness industry’s large U.S. spending and legal allowances for supplement health claims with FDA disclaimers, noting right-wing media as key marketing channels.