What is the role of government?

To subsidize and assist the relocation of large populations from South of the Border.

To essential do in theory when they're not capitulating solely to corporate/wealthy redistribution of middle class/poor limited income, (via disproportionate taxation of everyone but wealthy/corporate interests whom the US Gov serves at our expense) directly into their plethora of off-shore accounts.

What most private businesses seem to deliberately forget whenever they're handed government level responsibilities which they assume is their forte, is to make absurd profits while forgetting that serving the public good, (commons) is a privilege, not an economic windfall entitlement under laissez faire "capitalism".

Public Safety (Police, Fire, Military ect.)

Public Transportation (Roads, Airports etc)

Educational institutions (Provided they can do a better job than they are now)

And that is it.

Jesse mentions protecting the rights of the citizens. An important thing, but protecting them from who? The Government?

Follow the will of the people.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

Article 21, (3)"The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government" as expressed in free elections...

http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml

It's only the core basis for the constitution:

Core Values

* Fiscal Responsibility

* Constitutionally Limited Government

* Free Markets

To do for the people what the people cannot do for themselves, like raise an Army and Navy, defend the borders, and deliver the mail

Government should lead the country to a better life.Don't degrade it.

I noticed that the first two answers, which were conservative, said nothing about protecting the rights of the citizens... go figure

To rule with an iron fist.