[SynthethicalY]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...la-home-center


Deepening the nation's diversity, the minority population of the United States reached 100.7 million in 2006, led by California as home to the largest numbers of the two fastest-growing racial groups, Latinos and Asians, the Census Bureau reported today.

Minorities now account for one-third of the nation's 300 million U.S. residents, with the largest share of them — 21% — living in California.

They now constitute 57% of the state's population, including 13.1 million Latinos, 5 million Asians, 2.7 million blacks and 689,000 Native Americans and Alaska Natives, according to population estimates taken between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006.

Non-Hispanic whites were still California's largest racial group, at 15.7 million, but represented a shrinking proportion of the state's population.

"As goes California, so goes the nation," said Marcelo Gaete, senior program director for the Los Angeles-based National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund.

Gaete and others said the nation's increasingly diverse population would probably have a significant effect on politics and public policy because minorities tend to vote differently than whites.

In California, minority voters have shown "systematic differences" from whites in their electoral choices, with more support for more generous immigration policies, taxation and public investment in schools, according to Dowell Myers, a USC professor of urban planning and demographics.

He said the difference is partly rooted in the fact that minorities are younger, with a greater personal stake in public schools, for instance.

Nationally, the median age for Latinos was 27.4, compared with 30.1 for blacks, 33.5 for Asians and 40.5 for whites.

"There is a schism," Myers said. "Older folks want older folks' benefits. They don't want to invest in younger folks' benefits, especially if they're minorities. But these people are the future workers, taxpayers and homeowners. To not embrace them is … putting your dollar into the wrong end of the life cycle.

"Fundamentally," Myers said, "people have to realize we all have shared fates. It's necessary to pull together to have one shared future."

The Census Bureau's estimates are based on population change from 2000 using annual data on births, deaths and international migration.

Gaete said the new numbers underscored the importance for California to hold an early presidential primary election in February 2008.

Otherwise, he said, states with largely white populations, such as New Hampshire and Iowa, will end up with oversized influence in narrowing the field for a national population they do not demographically reflect.

"The country is becoming increasingly diverse, increasingly colorful, and our political system should reflect that," Gaete said.

The demographers added what many political experts already know: that multicultural coalitions are the key to winning a growing number of elections today.

Nationally, Latinos accounted for almost half the nation's population growth of 2.9 million.

Their numbers increased by 3.4% to 44.3 million in 2006, constituting 14.8% of the nation's population, with the largest numbers in California, Texas and Florida.

Blacks increased by 1.3% to 40.2 million, making up 13.3% of the nation's population. New York, Florida and Texas had the largest black populations.

Asians grew by 3.2% to 14.9 million, accounting for 5% of the nation's population.

The largest numbers were in California, New York and Texas.

The census also counted 4.5 million Native Americans and Alaska Natives and 1 million native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders. The total of non-Hispanic whites who indicated no other race grew 0.3% to 198.7 million in 2006.

[floatingslowly]

I wonder where oklahoma fits in.

my guess is somewhere between a white-power-anti-abortion rally and an indian casino.

as a native Californian and SUPERFAN of hispanic women, I'm appalled at our general lack of latinas for me to oogle.

eat my fuck Texas. quit taking all the hot chicks.

[SynthethicalY]

Which part of Cali do you live floatingslowly?

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by floatingslowly

as a native Californian and SUPERFAN of hispanic women, I'm appalled at our general lack of latinas for me to oogle.

ha ha man then you might enjoy this cheeseball site:

http://www.barrio305.com/hottiestv.htm

[pbradley]

I don't think I would be happy in this world if it weren't for mexican food. Growing up near Santa Ana has made me love latino culture. Too bad I'm a pasty irish/german.

[floatingslowly]

Originally Posted by SynthethicalY

Which part of Cali do you live floatingslowly?

Los Oklahoma City.

it's a small town that's easy to miss on the map.

if I was giving directions, I'd say it's between Disneyland and Disneyworld.

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

ha ha man then you might enjoy this cheeseball site:

http://www.barrio305.com/hottiestv.htm

hah, I opened that and closed it really fast. I think I already push my limit on the firewall at work without looking at something with hotties in the URL.

oh, but once I get home.......

[SynthethicalY]

I see, I am in L.A. well technically in the San Fernando Valley.

[floatingslowly]

most of my family still lives in LA and my grandmother lives in Fountain Valley / Santana.

I was born in Fullerton, but I don't come "home" very often.

[pbradley]

Fullerton's real close to my hometown. On the other side of Anaheim, actually.

Tustin, whut whut.