Keller @ Large: Does Anyone Want Positive Politics?

By Jon Keller, WBZ-TV

BOSTON (CBS) - Canada elected a new prime minister this week. His name is Justin Trudeau, and he ran on something he calls "positive politics."

And down here in the states, enquiring minds want to know: what on earth is that?

Let's be honest, politics here and in Canada has always been a sharp-elbow affair, and always will be.

They talk about voter anger these days, but there was plenty of anger around when I was growing up in the 1960s and '70s that makes what's happening now seem tame.

But if it seems to you that our politics has noticeably deteriorated in the last 15 years or so, join the club.

Vice President Joe Biden made note of that in his announcement Wednesday that he won't be running for president, calling the "divisive partisan politics that is ripping this country apart... mean-spirited [and] petty. I don't think we should look at Republicans as our enemies," said Biden, a reference to recent remarks by Hillary Clinton.

But it seems like most Democrats agree with Hillary and Bernie Sanders, who boasted Wednesday of having "strong disagreements with the Republicans on every issue."

Every issue!

What are the odds?

Listen to Jon's commentary:

The Republicans are no better.

Both parties have their hyper-partisanship and ideological rigidity whipped up by slanted media outlets and special-interest groups for whom compromise is a swear word.

Some pols pay lip service to "positive politics," but they don't mean it, because their constituents don't really seem to want it.

And in that sense, we appear to be getting the representation we deserve.