What is the federal government's role? And likewise, state government?

According to the Constitution, the role of the federal government is limited to those things that can be done best by them because of the national nature of the issue. For example, maintaining an armed force for security from other countries, and collecting taxes to pay for that service. The rest are actually states rights...but the states have by inaction allowed the feds to take on more and more all the time. Now the feds are in charge of the national road systems..interstates and U.S.. highways. There are several more things that have been added in the way of amendments to the Constitution...all of which can be found on the net. Just google U.S. Constitution and read it. It isn't long and is pretty simple to understand. I think you will be very surprised at how little the federal government really has the legal right to do. Much of what is being done currently is actually in violation.