Expect New Tea Party Hysteria Over New Census Data

Government survey data for the 2010 census is beginning to be released and it is likely to ignite more hysteria among the racist, Christianist dominated Tea Party crowd. The figures show that some 85% of the nation's population growth has been through increases in minority populations, especially Hispanics. The figures also demonstrate why in the longer term the Republican Party is committing suicide by its decision to cling to the bigots, racists and religious extremists of the GOP base while doing its best to alienate everyone else. The Washington Post has coverage which doesn't mention the number of LGBT households, but I suspect that number has increased significantly as well. The world and society are changing, yet the GOP for the most part clings to the past. The message to younger voters and minorities is that they need to turn out at the polls and help vote the GOP into a well deserved oblivion. Here are story highlights:
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WASHINGTON -- U.S. racial minorities accounted for roughly 85 percent of the nation's population growth over the last decade - one of the largest shares ever - with Hispanics accounting for much of the gain in many of the states picking up new House seats. Preliminary census estimates also suggest the number of multiracial Americans jumped roughly 20 percent since 2000, to over 5 million.
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"There are going to be a lot of additional Hispanic officials elected when redistricting is done," said E. Mark Braden, a former chief counsel to the Republican National Committee who now advises state governments on redistricting. "But folks in power don't give up control that easily - there will be tension between the ins and outs."
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Four of the eight states gaining House seats owe roughly half or more of their population gains over the last decade to Hispanics. They include Texas, which picks up four seats; Florida, which will add two seats; and Arizona and Nevada, picking up one seat apiece.
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The minority growth share in 2010 is the largest in recent memory, with only the influx of European minority immigrants such as Italians, Poles and Jews in the late 1800s possibly rivaling it in scope, said William H. Frey, a demographer at Brookings Institution who analyzed the census data.
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"The new engines of growth in America's population are Hispanics, Asians and other minorities," Frey said. "But it's just the tip of the iceberg. For the under-18 population - potential voters in the not-too-distant future - minorities accounted for virtually all the growth in most U.S. states." "Political strategists and advocates, especially in growing states, cannot afford to ignore this surging political wave," he said.
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Clearly, the GOP's anti-immigrant mantra and often less than subtle racism is a recipe for disaster. The question is whether anyone in the GOP has the spine to call it like it is or will the leadership continue to prostitute itself to the worse elements of the party's current base? Here in Virginia, my vote is for the latter option to prevail until the GOP is voted out of all state wide offices for several election cycles.