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The action from the Democratic National Committee to withhold the public viewing of its internal autopsy report on the last presidential race is shocking however to be expected. Opposed to unpleasant candor, the Democrats' governing body often functions more like a publicity machine than a political organization committed to cultivating a volunteer base capable of prevailing at the polls.

An Environment That Avoids Dissent

Unwilling to challenge the party establishment's culture demanding unity, the DNC has remained under the Biden-Harris shadow throughout this past year. Publishing the findings could have demonstrated whether the leadership truly desire to promote honest conversation regarding the missteps that paved the way for the former president to return to the White House. However, the DNC is proceeding under the pretense that there's nothing to be learned from the electoral catastrophe from the last cycle.

The top priority: will this lead to victory? If not, it becomes a sideline issue from what truly matters," a rationale that has been offered to justify concealing the report.

Critical Problems an Autopsy Would Have Examined

A genuine analysis of substance would tackle head-on key points of failure. Among them are:

• Electoral Alienation: Failing to retain of a significant portion of the electorate who supported the party's candidate during the previous election became a critical factor in the narrowly decided recent race.
• The Choice to Seek Re-election: The unwavering choice of the incumbent to stay in the race, coupled with a last-minute withdrawal, is viewed as robbing Democratic voters the chance for a competitive nomination process.
• Abandoning Everyday Americans: While facing rising costs, the electoral effort allegedly bowing to powerful financial backers and not managing to address the impact of profit-seeking.
• A Foreign Policy Factor: The refusal to shift a policy position regarding a ongoing war is cited as driving away many voters, especially among youth voters, Arab American communities, Muslim voters.
• Losing Youth Allegiance: Research indicates a major decrease of support for the party from the youth electorate.

A Pattern of Evasion

The decision to withhold fits a longstanding habit of evading uncomfortable facts. This mirrors an episode in which the vast majority of elected Democrat in Congress supported an incumbent's decision for running for re-election until a catastrophic televised debate led to a reversal.

Meanwhile, large majorities within the party's base were consistently telling pollsters of their opposition to the incumbent to be the nominee.

Financial Concerns

An honest report could investigate matters about campaign spending, such as what sums were directed to insider consultants as well as media firms over the course of an electoral effort which expended a staggering sum during the general election.

The Larger Issue

Ultimately, the blockage of the official autopsy is symptomatic of a deference toward party leaders responsible for a disastrous electoral effort. The message for ordinary supporters – including countless loyal volunteers – is that they cannot have a right to see the lessons the insiders have learned from a report drawing from extensive interviews.

A political entity unable to publicly examine its own failings is unlikely to escape the rut that ended up being so helpful to their opponents.