The phrase "some good news for pessimists", as used here, can hardly be construed as racist, as some bloggers have accused (btw, isn't reading comprehension supposed to be one of the areas evaluated by the SAT?) . Clearly, a "pessimist" in this context is someone who fears that our political system can never be truly representative of non-whites, and the fact that whites will continue to wield disproportionate influence and power in California, in spite of being a minority of the population, is a validation of that worldview (and hence, "good news").