Former President George H.W. Bush was right about two things the other day. First, American politics are getting uglier. Second, the trend didn't begin with the election of President Barack Obama.

There's plenty of blame to go around for the coarsening of the political dialogue. As Bush said, some of the criticism of Obama "crosses the line of civility." Defending both his son and the process, Bush rightly pointed out that some criticism of President George W. Bush was equally out of line.

The blame doesn't just belong to the trash-talking heads who confuse invective for insight - and to the activists and the candidates who "go negative" during an election.

It belongs to those of us who reward this behavior.

If we aren't a discerning and demanding audience, then we deserve what we get:

® A coarsened discourse, fueled and perpetuated by shrill punditry from the fringes.

® A debate that is given to far-fetched conspiracy theory, from the so-called 9/11 "truthers" or the Obama citizenship "birthers."

® Negative campaigns orchestrated by candidates (or those who advise the candidates) who have reason to believe these tactics work. Attack dogs are trained, whether they're protecting a warehouse or handling an election. Some questions about qualifications and conduct are completely fair; others are just thinly veiled attacks. As voters, it's our job to recognize the difference.

When the process is cheapened, the quality of candidates will suffer. As the elder Bush told CBS News Radio, "To the degree it turns off one student or young person from serving, that's bad."

Right again.

Still, we would hate to see political mudslinging become like the weather - something we all merely complain about. We can help elevate the campaigns by raising our expectations.

Politics do not have to be negative by definition. This fall, city candidates across the Valley are running generally issue-oriented campaigns. Even in Boise, where the proposal over a Downtown streetcar has left residents divided, the candidates' debate has remained on topic. As it should. If Boise is going to spend $65 million on a 2.3-mile trolley loop, then City Council candidates have plenty to discuss without getting into the mud.

The skeptics will say that there's a lot of difference between national politics and the homespun and ho-hum nature of local elections. Indeed, two weeks from Election Day, this year's city campaigns haven't generated much buzz. And that's troubling. Candidates shouldn't have to go negative to get noticed.

"Our View" is the editorial position of the Idaho Statesman. It is an unsigned opinion expressing the consensus of the Statesman's editorial board. To comment on an editorial or suggest a topic, e-mail editorial@idahostatesman.com.