There was an interesting C-SPAN discussion here about the 2012 election and the impact of changing demographics on previous elections and the upcoming one. This is long (90 minutes) but I think it was worthwhile.

My take is that racist or not one can't really expect the Republican Party to lead the cheerleading for allowing in more new voters that over time will tend to vote Democratic. It's suicidal for the Party. If Republicans could somehow bring in millions of reliably Republican voters, they'd be the ones talking about the need for amnesty while Democrats, angrily watching blue states turn purple, would have a different song to sing.

The panel also discussed how the traditional voting patterns of Republicans/Democrats have changed-mostly among whites. The Republicans win big among whites without a college education and/or working class while the Democrats do better among middle class and college educated whites.

2012 could be a high point election for Republicans as there is no guarantee that thanks to a changing electorate that by 2020 or even 2016 several previously "Red" states won't be in play. There's not an easy way to see how this plays itself out. But there are gonna be some serious fights over Social Security and school funding over the next 2-3 decades the likes of which we haven't seen before. But it still all comes down the economy for 2012.

The 2010 mid term showed that the Democrats have an Achilles Heel among whites, who were motivated by frustration by the economy. The overreach by Republicans on such things as public unions, contraceptives and Planned Parenthood may play well with some of their base but it turns off the white independents. Time will tell.