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This move from the DNC to block the public viewing of its internal autopsy report concerning the last presidential race seems stunning however not surprising. Averse to hard truths, the Democrats' governing body behaves closer to a publicity machine rather than a political organization committed to cultivating grassroots capacities to secure victories.

An Environment of Conformity

Reluctant to challenge the party establishment's culture of conformity, the DNC has continued within that legacy throughout this past year. Releasing the findings might have shown that party leaders are interested to encourage honest conversation regarding the missteps that paved the way for the former president to win re-election. Instead, the DNC is proceeding as if there's nothing to be learned from the tragic debacle from the last cycle.

Our guiding principle: will this lead to victory? If not, it is an unnecessary diversion from the core mission," a justification reportedly given for withholding the report.

Critical Problems an Analysis Would Have Addressed

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

• Electoral Disenchantment: Losing of millions of voters who voted for the party's candidate during the previous election was decisive during the tight recent race.
• A Decision to Run: The determined insistence of a party leader to run again, alongside a very late exit, is seen by some as robbing the party's base the chance for open primaries.
• Losing Touch With the Working-Class Base: While facing inflation, the campaign is criticized for ceding to powerful financial backers and not managing to challenge the impact of big business.
• The Foreign Policy Effect: The refusal to reconsider a policy position on a ongoing war reportedly led to driving away significant blocs, notably among young people, Arab-Americans, and Muslim Americans.
• Losing Young Voter Allegiance: Research shows a major drop-off in Democratic support among young voters.

A Record Shunning Scrutiny

Choosing secrecy fits a recurring tendency of sidestepping difficult realities. This mirrors a dynamic in which nearly all Democratic officeholder in Washington supported a sitting president's decision for running for re-election right up until a catastrophic campaign event led to an exit.

Meanwhile, large majorities of the electorate had been consistently telling pollsters that they did not want the incumbent to be the nominee.

Campaign Spending Issues

An honest autopsy would also investigate issues about financial allocations, including how much money flowed to high-priced advisors as well as ad buyers over the course of an electoral effort that managed to spend a colossal amount during the general election.

The Larger Problem

At its core, the secrecy surrounding this report highlights an allegiance toward the established hierarchy who engineered a disastrous electoral effort. The signal to ordinary supporters – including countless loyal volunteers – appears to be that they cannot have a right to understand the lessons the insiders have learned from a report based on conversations with insiders.

An organization unable to publicly examine its own failings will struggle to break free from the cycle which was so beneficial to the rival party.