Only government, not business, can afford to pay for disadvantaged citizens to receive vocational training, Programs to help the economically disadvantaged do not address problems of racism and sexism. This is a high-risk, expensive gamble that will probably do little to change society except bring more government and higher taxes. Affirmative action will not be replaced with other opportunities because of federal and state budget cuts. People want to cut back, not add new programs. The vast and expanded training programs envisioned are too expensive for the nation to take on at this time when reducing the deficit and balancing the budget are our prime economic considerations.
Affirmative action is inherently discriminatory and wrong.
You bring about fairness by judging on the basis of individual merit and achievement, not by discriminating in favor of one group over another. That just further divides the nation. Affirmative action preferences have gone to middle class minorities and women who are already capable of competing. Affirmative action has been unfair to all of us by lowering job and academic standards, but promoting marginally qualified people to jobs they aren't prepared to handle and by saddling every woman and minority with the suspicion that he or she may not have won a job on the basis of merit. Affirmative action is already being dismantled by regulations, court orders, and political actions.