Whilst most think of Carter as a standard New Deal-Great Society liberal, deregulation was a major part of Carter's economic agenda and one of the greatest aspects of his legacy.  It's something that Carter and Reagan had in common, not something that set them apart.

Carter—and other leading progressives at the time such as Ralph Nader—understood the Golden Rule: whoever has the gold makes the rules. Regulation frequently, if not always, benefits big businesses who can help shape it at the expense of small businesses and most importantly, consumers.

Beginning with the Great Depression, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), set airline routes, flight, schedules, and even prices. The result was 10 airlines enjoyed a de facto government-protected 90% of the air travel market: a monopoly with extra steps.