I noted a news report today about the surprising growth in the Hispanic population in the USA.
Hispanics accounted for more than half of the U.S. population increase over the last decade, exceeding estimates in most states as they crossed a new census milestone: 50 million, or 1 in 6 Americans.
. . .
The Census Bureau on Thursday released its first set of national-level findings from the 2010 count on race and migration, detailing a decade in which rapid minority growth, aging whites and the housing boom and bust were the predominant story lines.
Analysts said the results confirmed a demographic transformation under way that is upending traditional notions of racial minorities, political swing districts, even city and suburb.
"These are big demographic changes," said Mark Mather, an associate vice president at the nonprofit Population Reference Bureau. "There is going to be some culture shock, especially in communities that haven't had high numbers of immigrants or minorities in the past."
"By 2050, we may have an entirely new system of defining ourselves," he said.
. . .
After initial fears of low participation, the 2010 count of the Hispanic population came in 900,000 higher than expected, matching or surpassing census estimates in 37 states, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan think tank.
Many of the biggest jumps were in the South, including Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina and Louisiana, where a small but fast-growing Hispanic population was fueled by an influx of immigrants during the housing boom.
. . .
In all, racial and ethnic minorities made up about 90 percent of the total U.S. growth since 2000, part of a historic trend in which minorities are expected to become the majority by midcentury.
"Hispanics and immigrant minorities are providing a much needed tonic for an older, largely white population which is moving into middle age and retirement," said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution who analyzed many of the census figures. "They will form the bulk of our labor force growth in the next decade as they continue to disperse into larger parts of the country."
There's more at the link.
What I didn't see in that news report (or anywhere else in the mainstream media) was an answer to the question: "Where has the growth in our Hispanic population come from?" If it's through natural increase (i.e. lots of children), or legal immigration, I have no problem whatsoever with that. However, if (as I suspect) it's through massive, unchecked illegal immigration, I have all sorts of problems with it! We're short something like 20 million jobs for Americans right now. If illegal immigrants were sent back to where they came from, how many jobs would they free up for those who have a legal right to be here?
I think it's time someone asked those questions of our government, and kicked their backsides until they got moving on this issue.
Peter
White folks don't pick lettuce. Hell, black folks won't pick lettuce no more either.
ReplyDeleteNebris, if we manage to stop bleeding the country into bankruptcy by cutting back our bloated welfare and entitlement programs, restricting them to those who truly can't do without them, then I daresay many people will be hungry enough to do any job that pays them a living wage. If they won't, I guess they'll starve.
ReplyDeleteWhy do we call any American born anything other than just "American?"
ReplyDeleteSeems silly to impose labels on the assimilated.
It is not like we track the heritage of other large group Americans.
Hispanic is such a catch-all as well. Hardly one people.
Well, I can tell you, whether legal or illegal, culturally Hispanic families tend to run large.
ReplyDeleteHere in New Mexico, there's a big Catholic influence, which tends to mean that many start early and keep going. My friend Gabe's father was one of 24 siblings, for example. That's definitely the very high end of the scale, but families with 5 - 9 kids aren't complete unknowns around these parts. And neither are 15 year olds pushing double decker strollers with two kids of different ages in them.
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Man, I swear to God the computer knows, somehow...
WV: "inglych" -- INGLYCH? CHYOU SPEAK ET, HYES?
Nebris--your statement is demonstrably false.
ReplyDeleteWhen the illegal aliens are deported, Americans will fill the void and take those jobs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y34U07CxVm0
The local TV news pointed out that at least 40% of those counted as Hispanic on the Census are unable to vote because "they are here on visas or otherwise lack US citizenship." Points for tact at least.
ReplyDeleteNebris, given the numbers of native-born and legal residents who lined up for jobs at a local plant after the last INS raid, I highly suspect that the line about "doing the jobs [nationality] won't do" is no longer completely valid.
The population of Hispanics isn't increasing as much as that, our counting is getting better.
ReplyDeleteThis is partly because the Census Bureau is really taking their job seriously, and spending the money to map every occupied living-unit with actual boots-on-the-ground visits.
It is also partly because community groups and government entities that benefit from larger measurements of local population have been actively encouraging cooperation with the census takers amongst their constituents.
Also, word has gotten out that the census won't report on illegal stuff they find, so people have been less worried about the census taker discovering the extra attic or basement apartment that the zoning board and taxman have been unaware of. We'll see how long that lasts as town's start noticing extra living units on federal and postal databases that don't exist in their own records...
"Where are they all coming from?"
ReplyDelete"Where" have you been?
The Governor of Arizona has been asking for Federal help for months - to no avail. Arizona even passed its own laws to reverse this trend - and was sued by the Federal government!
The open borders in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and yes, California see thousands of illegals pour in every week!
This is the LEAST kept secret out there. Anyone who isn't aware of this, and is "surprised" by the jump in numbers in the Hispanic population, has had their head buried in the sand.
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ReplyDeleteI'm an old white guy from Nu Yawk and I knew a lot of folks in my youth who didn't consider Italians 'white folks', so I find it amusing whenever Tom Tancredo goes on about Latinos as Other and 'a threat to the American way of life'. That would actually be The Corporate State, but 'beaners' make a convenient scapegoat to blame for the despoliation of The Republic.
ReplyDeleteI'm also of Irish heritage and know full well that we were thought of as 'monkeys' and 'savages' in pre-Civil War America. But Americans as a rule have near zero sense of actual history.
And this whole discussion is largely academic.
La Raza, legal and otherwise, it a demographic tidal wave that nothing short of The Apocalypse is going to stop. Maybe some folks will try and 'take matters into their own hands'. But no 'white militia' is going to survive going up against Latino drug gangs, which is where Hispanics would seek protection if the police 'looked the other way'. And that is what would happen. It is a classic pattern in the 'hollowing out of the state'. A police force that has been cut-back and de-unionized will be demoralized, another effect of the actions of The Corporate State.
Funny how that all works, ain't it?
Anyway, I don't care. Yo soy aquí en Azlan y aprendido hablar españoles muchos años en el pasado. I suggest y'all aprendar as well. lol
[had to repost..too many typos..just woke up..sorry, gang]
Um... they breed like rabbits... They are second only to Muslims in family size. Last report I saw, they averaged 5 kids/family
ReplyDeleteNebris, I've dealt with Latino drug gangs for years (I worked as a part-time and full-time prison chaplain for over a decade). They can be dealt with . . . it just takes resolve and the right approach. That's why they're not nearly as dominant here as they are south of the border.
ReplyDeleteSaying Latino drug gangs are 'not nearly as dominant here as they are south of the border' is damning the US with faint praise. Mexico is in the middle of a full blown drug war insurgency. It's only a matter of time before US troops will be needed to intervene. And then the real fun will begin.
ReplyDeleteThe solution is full Legalization, but that ain't gonna happen cause too many folks on both sides of the Law are making too much money from the War on [Some] Drugs.
And all that comes back to ethos of The Corporate State; Making Money is more important than anything else, even the survival of The Republic.