I couldn’t help but shake my head when I saw Rashida Tlaib’s social media post reacting to the ongoing power outages. Severe storms had slammed parts of the state days earlier, knocking out electricity for hundreds of thousands of homes right around the Fourth of July.
DTE Energy crews were working through the holiday weekend—climbing poles, clearing debris, and restoring service under tough conditions—so families could get back to some sense of normal life.
Instead of recognizing those efforts or offering a message of resilience to her constituents, Tlaib chose a crude swipe at the utility company. It felt completely out of step with the spirit of the holiday and the reality on the ground. These aren’t faceless corporations; they’re teams of local workers putting in long, dangerous shifts so the lights come back on for the very people she represents.
Then again, this is Tlaib we're talking about and yeah, she is AWFUL.
Fuck DTE.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) July 5, 2026
This kind of reaction fits a familiar pattern we’ve seen from some elected officials: quick condemnation, little gratitude, and zero focus on practical fixes.
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Michigan residents deserve representatives who roll up their sleeves or at least acknowledge the folks keeping the grid running, not ones who turn outages into another chance for viral venting.
As someone who loves seeing the best of this country - the quiet dedication of workers who show up no matter the holiday - I found the whole episode disappointing. Reliable power isn’t guaranteed; it’s the result of skilled people doing tough jobs every day. A little appreciation would have gone a lot further than another headline-grabbing rant.At the end of the day, voters remember how their leaders act when things get inconvenient. Gratitude and problem-solving build trust. Vulgar outbursts? Not so much.
Here’s hoping for better leadership that actually lifts people up instead of tearing down the teams trying to help them.
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