Government and Soccer Referees

I ref'd my first soccer game last week-end. I know a little bit about soccer, but I was nervous prior to my first official game assignment and asked for a mentor to meet me at the field. He gave me lots of good advice, but one piece in particular rang true: Interfere as little as possible.

"The game isn't about you", he said.  "Your job is to ensure the safety of those involved, keep the game moving along, and make judgment calls only when necessary." 

Isn't that some great advice for our government, too?