Governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic has reflected “the precautionary principle on steroids,” says the blueprint. The precautionary principle is the idea that government should regulate potentially harmful behavior even when there is scientific uncertainty over the level of risk.
Over 30 million jobs have been lost, 39 states have imposed quasi-martial law, trillions of dollars have been added to the national debt and our Constitution has been left in tatters due to the fear of the unknown, the report asserts.
“COVID-19 is a serious public health problem that required a serious response. But governments at the state and local level took a meat cleaver to fundamental rights instead of a scalpel and left the nation with an incredible scar,” said David Ridenour, the principal author of Beyond COVID-19. “States have the authority to regulate activity in the interests of public safety, but they must do so by the least restrictive means necessary and apply regulations equally to everyone. But many states didn’t do so: Maryland and other states banned churches from accepting donations at drive-in religious services while allowing fast food drive-ins to operate. These states made a value judgment – essential liberties are not essential, but nonessential services are – and it is wrong.”
Beyond COVID-19 calls for measures to protect fundamental rights, to change America’s relationships with China and the World Health Organization (WHO), to roll back regulations that helped exacerbate the crisis, and to focus on pandemic relief rather than wealth redistribution...
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“COVID-19 is a serious public health problem that required a serious response. But governments at the state and local level took a meat cleaver to fundamental rights instead of a scalpel and left the nation with an incredible scar,” said 
