According to the website where I found the image above, that well-known adage that it's appropriate to "fight fire with fire," may have originated with Shakespeare. "Be fire with fire" is a line from Shakespeare’s King John play. I am no Shakespeare expert, but it does seem likely that the "fight fire with fire" recommendation stems from that "be fire with fire" Shakespearean observation.
Today, in this blog posting, I am reacting to what William Galston has to say about this "fight fire with fire" subject. Galston writes an opinion column for The Wall Street Journal, and in his "Politics & Ideas" column, published on May 20, 2026, Galston's headline pleaded as follows: "Democrats, Don't Fight Fire With Fire."
What Galston is worried about is that future Democratic presidents might treat the office of the president the way our current president has. Here's Galston's comment:
During his first term, Mr. Trump told an audience at a 2019 event: “I have an Article II, where I have the right to do whatever I want as president.” His actions since are evidence that he was serious about this, as are the people who work for him.
In fact, Article II of the Constitution does not confer such plenary, unlimited powers upon our elected Chief Executive. In fact, Article II says just the opposite, stating that the president is supposed to "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed." The "laws," just in case this is not obvious, are those laws enacted by the Congress, as outlined in Article I, which comes first for a reason.
Galston fears that "influential Democratic voices" are urging that any Democratic Party president, in the future, treat the presidency just the way our current president has. Specifically cited as advocating this approach are Senator Elizabeth Warren, Congress Member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
All women, note. That does seem worrisome, doesn't it? Women, grasping for power, are such an obvious danger to American democracy!
Anyway, I actually agree with Galston that the responsibility of all persons who may later serve as the nation's Chief Executive should follow what the Constitution says, not what our current president has done and is doing. It's my bet that this is what all elected Democratic Party officeholders will demand.
And that does include those "grasping women" called out and so feared by Galston.
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