subject: Don't You Know That Egypt Is Destroyed Yet?
[print this page] Chapters four through twelve of Exodus describe the plagues on Egypt that resulted in Israel being freed. Historically it takes place at the very end of the Middle Kingdom, shortly before the Hyksos domination around 1600 B.C. It is probable that the events listed in Exodus were major factors in the Hyksos being able to conquer Egypt even though they were rather weak. The story provides some interesting parallels to the present situation in the United States.
Some 430 years before, the Hebrews or Israel had gone into Egypt to escape famine in Palestine. They settled in the area known a Goshen, raising livestock and separated from the main Egyptian culture. In time, as their numbers grew, they came to be viewed as a threat to Egypt because their culture was different, and were subjugated by the Egyptian government under the Pharaohs. The slavery became increasingly severe as time passed and Israel began to seek their freedom. Moses was designated to negotiate with Pharaoh.
Pharaoh refused to discuss lessening the burden, further aggravating the the desire for freedom. A series of disasters or plagues ensued, each weakening the economic strength and stability of the nation, and the resolve of the Egyptian people. Pharaoh was able to isolate himself from most of the effects and maintained his position, unwilling to give up or delay his agenda for the benefit of his people. Each time he backed off his position, but as soon as the problem was alleviated, he went back to the original position.
In several of the plagues, Pharaoh's advisors were able to cause similar effects thus convincing him that it was not of God and that they could control it. They did so, not by eliminating the cause of the problem but by repeating it. Finally, even his advisors gave up, and in Exodus 10:7 we find them telling him to let the people go because Egypt has already been destroyed. He promised to resolve the problem and the plague was removed, but as soon as the immediate symptom was reduced, changed his mind and resumed his original position. The final plague resulted in the deaths of members of every family in Egypt, including Pharaoh's. This finally got his attention to the point of actually making real changes, freeing Israel. Even then, he changed his mind and tried to go back to the way it had been.
In the United States, several of our founding fathers resisted formation of parties, believing that they caused an isolation of the politicians from their constituents. Elections have become increasingly contests between the party issues and platforms, rather than candidates positions on the peoples interests, As one staunch Democrat said, its not about the candidate but the philosophy.
For several years, our Government has repeatedly faced economic crises. Each time they have promised changes. Republican controlled congresses have pledged tax relief, while Democrat controlled Congresses have promised regulatory reform. Tax rebates by Republicans and guarantees of loans by the Democrats, and other programs have been offered to alleviate the immediate symptoms. Quick, superficial changes then convince people that the problem is solved.
As soon as the pressure is reduced, we have returned to the original program that caused the problem, Political and financial figures are effectively isolated from the daily problems, and ignore it until it becomes severe enough to catch their attention again.
The common people are deal with the problems every day. Because they have discretionary income, price and tax changes have a much more immediate and dramatic effect on their situation. For example, the actual food a millionaire eats costs about the same as that for the fast food employee making minimum wage. The difference is in what they have left after buying food. A 10% increase in the price of the food, or sales tax, may make it unaffordable for the minimum wage earner, and be unnoticed by the millionaire. Few poor people are able to get into political life. They are too busy surviving. Congressional advisors, having a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, insist that the problem will go away if the pressure is relieved., encouraging inaction.
Even when the attention is obtained, like Pharaoh, when he was informed that Egypt was destroyed, the needs of the people are ignored. The town hall meetings about healthcare reform demonstrated that the political representatives are disconnected from the experiences of the people, passing it off as a Republican sponsored action, rather than recognizing that it was a demand from the people to focus on their problems rather than the party agenda.
Over fifteen million are un employed and another eleven million are not working full time at the present time. They are not worried about buying insurance. They can't buy it. They have to spend what they have for food and shelter. Those who are employed are facing the possibility of losing their jobs. Requiring everyone to buy insurance could be enough to drive many of them or their employers into bankruptcy. They would like Congress to act on their real problem of how to support themselves.
Thirteen months after he was elected, President Obama finally held a meeting to discuss jobs. The sad part of that is that Congress was elected to deal with the needs of their individual districts. They have refused to do so until the president has been forced to do their job. Some in the news media have referred to an anti incumbent bias by the voters.
The switch to Democratic power in the 2006 and 2008 elections, the switch from Democratic to Republican majorities under Clinton all indicate that the people feel they are not represented. They are not anti incumbent, they want their problems addressed, and the incumbents are not listening.
Like Pharaoh, if Congress continues to focus on their ideals rather than resolving the problems, a collapse is inevitable. It doesn't have to be, but it will require elected officials being willing to give up their own agendas for the good of their constituents. Until we make politicians responsible to the people rather than the party, it is unlikely to change. Governments have repeated this same scenario throughout history.
