I believe that the federal government should be small but no smaller than necessary. The federal government was established to protect this country from outside and inside forces that aspire to destroy it. The federal government is the mediator when states disagree, regulator of commerce that crosses state boundaries, and ensures that everyone is treated equally.
In the pursuit of ensuring that everyone is treated equally our constitution has had several amendments (XIII, XIV, XV, XIX, XXIV, XXVI) added to the original constitution. In addition congress enacted several laws that protected the rights of individual. The Civil Rights Acts of 1964, 1968, and 1988 strength the rights of individuals.