Didn’t this ground get plowed in the Federalist Papers? After all, it was the justification for ratification of the new Constitution.
It did... but we’re talking about compiling a simple list of the appropriate functions of government. Rather than spending weeks combing the Papers, I decided to go further back to their foundations to come up with my list... one item: protect private property.
Besides, as I pointed out to others... these guys have already stated their lack of reverence for the Constitution... quoting it further would not win arguments. I need to rebuild its foundations for them.