As the Latino population in the United States rises, the demographic shift will affect future as well as current voting habits, and therefore election outcomes, in the United States, according to several experts.

In the highly competitive upcoming presidential elections, “a couple hundred of Latino voters can make a difference,” Roberto Suro, director of the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute at University of Southern California, said Monday. The impact is especially significant in battleground states like Florida, which holds 29 electoral votes, and where 22.9 percent of the populace is Latino.

The Hispanic and Latino population in the United States is projected to more than double by 2050 and will account for 24 percent of the future population – more than 102 million people – according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

American denizens have long been predominantly white and of European descent. However, 2012 marked the first time that minorities – such as Latinos and blacks – have outnumbered the majority ...

By far, the laziest, most vapid articles annually published during this post-holiday season are lists of the past year's top 10 words and aphorisms. Admittedly, the sloth of such an endeavor tempts me. But as a new dad obsessed with my 1-year-old son's future, I think I've got a more worthy list to add to the pile — one of current words and phrases that my kid may never know because they might end up as relics of a lost vernacular.

Here are those harrowing 10. I hope I'm wrong but fear I'm not.

10. "Civil liberties"
My son will surely read the U.S. Constitution in civics class, and he'll see stuff about rights to jury trials, due process and protection from unreasonable searches. But these freedoms have been extinguished by presidents successively claiming powers of indefinite detention, warrantless surveillance and assassination of American citizens without charge. Assuming there's still an ACLU that sends me mail and assuming my son sees the mail, he might ask, "What are civil liberties, Dad?" My response: "Good question."

9. "Public school"
With for-profit forces successfully pushing to privatize public education, I pray there's a decent public school left for my son to attend -- at least then there's a chance he'll know what one is.