<P> There are a multitude of supporters as well as opponents to the policy of affirmative action . Many presidents throughout the last century have failed to take a very firm stance on the policy, and the public has had to discern the president's opinion for themselves . Bill Clinton, however, made his stance on affirmative action very clear in a speech on July 19, 1995, nearly two and a half years after his inauguration . In his speech, he discussed the history in the United States that brought the policy into fruition: slavery, Jim Crow, and segregation . Clinton also mentioned a point similar to President Lyndon B. Johnson's "Freedom is not Enough" speech, and declared that just outlawing discrimination in the country would not be enough to give everyone in America equality . He addressed the arguments that affirmative action hurt the white middle class and said that the policy was not the source of their problems . Clinton plainly outlined his stance on affirmative action, saying: </P> <P> Let me be clear about what affirmative action must not mean and what I won't allow it to be . It does not mean--and I don't favor--the unjustified preference of the unqualified over the qualified of any race or gender . It doesn't mean--and I don't favor--numerical quotas . It doesn't mean--and I don't favor--rejection or selection of any employee or student solely on the basis of race or gender without regard to merit...</P> <P> In the end, Clinton stated that all the evidence shows that, even though affirmative action should be a temporary policy, the time had not come for it to be ended . He felt it was still a relevant practice and overall, the goal of the nation should be to "mend it, but don't end it ." Clinton's words became a slogan for many Americans on the topic of affirmative action . </P> <P> The National Conference of State Legislatures held in Washington D.C. stated in a 2014 overview that many supporters for affirmative action argue that policies stemming from affirmative action help to open doors for historically excluded groups in workplace settings and higher education . Workplace diversity has become a business management concept in which employers actively seek to promote an inclusive workplace . By valuing diversity, employers have the capacity to create an environment in which there is a culture of respect for individual differences as well as the ability to draw in talent and ideas from all segments of the population . By creating this diverse workforce, these employers and companies gain a competitive advantage in an increasingly global economy . According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, many private sector employers have concluded that a diverse workforce makes a "company stronger, more profitable, and a better place to work ." Therefore, these diversity promoting policies are implemented for competitive reasons rather than as a response to discrimination, but have shown the value in having diversity . </P>

The history of affirmative action in the united states