UPDATE: A GOP strategist just confirmed Romney’s intention to shut down FEMA, and suggested that at a time like this nobody cares about FEMA anyway.

“We cannot afford to do those things”

We reported earlier this evening on a video from the Republican primary debates in which Mitt Romney responds “absolutely” when asked whether FEMA funding should either no longer be guaranteed and/or the agency disbanded and left to individual states to handle FEMA’s responsibilities.

Tonight, the Huffington Post asked the Romney campaign to comment on what appears to be the suggestion that FEMA be shut down, and the Romney campaign refused to deny the underlying allegation, and then appeared to explain why it’s better to, in essence, block-grant FEMA to the states.

A Romney official sought to clarify the former governor’s remarks Sunday evening. “Gov. Romney wants to ensure states, who are the first responders and are in the best position to aid impacted individuals and communities, have the resources and assistance they need to cope with natural disasters,” the Romney official said.

That’s clearly not a denial.

So, Romney thinks getting rid of FEMA, and leaving it to bankrupt states to figure out how to save their own citizens when we have a national disaster, is the more “moral” thing to do – Romney calls the current situation “immoral” in his video because it can lead to deficits. Romney added, when talking about FEMA and federal disaster relief: “We cannot afford to do those things.”

Remember: In Romney-land, nothing is more important than money. And the only real people, are corporations.

(Though rest assured that by tomorrow, Mitt Romney will have flip-flopped at least once, probably twice, on this as it’s difficult to formulate national policy when you don’t have your speaking schedule finalized for that day.)