Function of Government

Fiorella keeps trying to hang up her political hat, but then people say stuff she objects to, like Mitt Romney, after such a gracious concession speech, saying that Obama won by giving "gifts" to the poor, the young, and the dark-skinned.  To Fio, it all boils down to how one looks at the function of government--is it to tell people how to think and what to do, or is it of the people, by the people, and FOR the people?