While I fall squarely into the camp that expects people "to find their own agency and autonomy", still I wonder if it may not be helpful to recognize that there is some small percentage of folks who simply cannot (as opposed to will not)find their own agency and autonomy. Whenever I find myself debating my more liberal friends, I try to slip in the caveat that there will always be some folks who truly "lack the ability to become productive and participatory agents of the Core and thus require a paternalistic government bureaucracy to take care of them in perpetuity." I'm thinking specifically of physical and mental disabilities; not deficits of character or upbringing. But I emphasize that I believe (and hope) that this is truly a small percentage of the adult population. Once the truly disadvantaged are taken out of the equation, then elitist-based paternalism is fair play for critical attack. Does anyone agree that addressing and accounting for the truly disadvantaged is necessary in this kind of discussion or is it a matter of 'it goes without saying...?" PS - this is one of the most insightful and useful blogs I visit. Thanks and keep cranking it out.