Preliminary census data show that America’s melting pot is meltier than ever, with racial minorities now making up more than one-third of the nation’s population. Pretty soon the “minorities” will be in the majority, as they are in four states (California, New Mexico, Hawaii and Texas, where everything is bigger, anyway).

AP reports that a Latino baby boom, the aging of baby boomers and an increase in multiracial Americans are responsible for the trend. And then there are the paranoid and overwhelmingly white tea partiers who went into hiding. That must account for at least a couple dozen fewer Caucasians showing up in the census, no? — PZS

AP:

New Census estimates show minorities added more than 2 percent in 2009 to 107.2 million people, boosted by a surge in Hispanic births and more people who described themselves as multiracial. During this time, the white population remained flat, making up roughly 199.9 million, or 65 percent, of the country.

By comparison, whites comprised 69 percent of the total population in 2000, and minorities 31 percent.

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