Learning the Language

I was very interested to watch The Republican Convention last night. Here is what stood out for me.

"The American Government is not a philanthropic organization"
"We have got to get government OFF OUR BACKS"
"We put service to our country first"
"The McCain-Palin ticket is a ticket of MAVERICKS who will lead us into a new era."
"John McCain endured beatings and isolation" (the t word was never used)

What I don't understand is this: why do we want government off our backs, except in private matters concerning a woman, her partner and her doctor.

I'm still not clear -- and really, I just do not get how government is OUT except when we want to legislate certain aspects of so called morality.

Enlighten me.