The banality of evil

As popularized by Hannah Arendt, the phrase the banality of evil refers to the actions of Adolph Eichmann, a facilitator of the Holocaust.  Although Eichmann was examined by several psychologists before his trial in Israel in the 50s, he was judged eminently sane.  Yet he was responsible for horrible crimes against humanity and couldn't help but brag about them, undermining what little defense he could mount against the charges.  It seemed he couldn't distinguish between garden variety crimes and the monstrous evil in which he participated with enthusiasm.  I bring this up as a partial explanation for Paul Ryan and his continued assault on health care in America.   The recently passed AHCA bill, while not a Holocaust level event will undoubtedly result in much death and suffering among the poor and lower middle class of this country.  His plans to privatize Medicare will result in similar increases in deaths among the elderly.  Meanwhile, Ryan appears to have a song in his heart and a grin on his face as he orchestrates these cruelties in the name of upper class tax cuts.   Neither Eichmann or Ryan seem especially intelligent.  I guess that quality is not necessary to foreclose the future of fellow citizens.   They were and are just ordinary men determined to trivialize evil intent.