There has been zero influence of communists in the US or how it functions as a state.
The ruling class uses power through influence and money to support both democrats and republicans under a pseudo-culture war about bogus shit on both sides.
It's a divide and conquer tactic. And this is something both left and right need to figure out or we're all fucked.
The social degradation you speak of is the result of a pillaging of wealth of all by vulture private interests for a long time now.