The pandemic scare hasn't panned out yet, even after all these years of scares. And why can't you create an emergency fund to buy beds whe/if there is a terror attack?
Why live in fear of "what might be" all the time? There will always be some kind of potential emergency. You don't necessarily have to build each one into the budget. If you go down that road (and we already have), political vested interests will make sure that public fear is sustained so they can keep getting their kickbacks.
And where are you putting these beds when the hospital is closed? Fort Hood's hospital couldn't handle all of the casualties.
Why live in fear of "what might be" all the time? There will always be some kind of potential emergency. You don't necessarily have to build each one into the budget.
This isn't peace time. Our White House looks very weak. NY has been the target in a number of attacks and many other plots.
This is also a bean counter wanting to close entire hospitals because of an ideal bed utilization rate is not being met. Besides the medical effects on patients in rural areas and the economic impacts on rural areas with hospitals which may be the main employers in those areas, do you really want a bean counter in Albany making those decisions? If a hospital is too far away, it may as well be in Timbuktu.