A regional is just a job, not a career. There is a huge difference. It's not a career until the name on your paycheck matches the one on the side of your plane. Until then, you're a pen stroke away from the unemployment line. Regionals are always going to be battling against each other for more flying and there's always gonna be someone that can do it cheaper. In the ideal world, regionals wouldn't exist, but airline execs got addicted to the endless supply of cheap labor. Southwest seems to do just fine without any subcontracted flying.