Commentary

Yes, after more than five decades, The Peter Principle lives.

In his book, Lawrence J. Peter states simply that The Peter Principle refers to a member of a hierarchy who is promoted until he or she reaches a level at which that individual is no longer competent.

In Sunday’s edition of the left-leaning Arizona Republic, its executive editor, Greg Burton, announced that six-year editorial board member, Elvia Diaz, had been promoted to director of opinions and board chair.

For years I have frequently referred to Diaz as a naïve, lightweight journalist, who is an embarrassment to the Fourth Estate, a gift who keeps on giving.

Identity politics played a role in Burton’s decision, noting with pride that Diaz becomes the first Latina to serve as the editorial page editor since the paper was founded 132 years ago.

She takes on the new role in a transition at the paper that retains her conservative predecessor, Phil Boas, who stays on the board and will launch a regular column. Liberal columnists Laurie Roberts and E. J. Montini will report to Diaz along with other editorial writers.

On October 15, 2018, I posted a commentary on a Diaz editorial in which she cited that “incivility has its place in these divisive, partisan times of ours,” as she sided with Hillary Clinton, and her reasoning that Democrats needed to wage war on Trump’s Republican Party “that’s ripping the nation to pieces.”

Looking back, Diaz’s belief then was that “fighting back – with anything and everything – is fitting when you’re being incessantly attacked” was acceptable.

We now know that Clinton did just that. “Anything and everything,” was her approval of the use of a phony Russian bank connection with Trump that involved her campaign staff, the FBI, and other Deep State bad actors in a scheme to bring down the Trump candidacy and later, his presidency.

I will be looking for Diaz’s acknowledgement that Clinton overstepped her use of mere incivility against Trump, by leading a four-year assault on the presidency and our democracy.  However, I won’t be holding my breath.

As I write this, the “newspaper” has yet to publish the story of Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager, Robby Mook‘s, in court testimony three days ago regarding her approval to pursue a connection between Russia’s Alpha Bank and Trump.

Now, more than ever … may God continue to bless the United States of Arizona