In politics, the boundaries between a pointed discussion and one that’s just hostile and counterproductive can be pretty blurry. But in recent weeks at the state Capitol, too many of these lines clearly have been crossed — to the wrong side — plainly and in full view of the public. It’s not a good look for the People’s House when public officials can’t even seem to manage a civil conversation.

Some serious, pointed discussions will be needed in the coming weeks, to be sure. Gov. Josh Green has 20 Cabinet directors and deputies to be vetted by the state Senate and confirmed.

Ikaika Anderson, the original nominee to head the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, was the first to undergo the process. After a contentious hearing featuring flaring tempers and name-calling, Anderson failed to gain the support of the Senate Hawaiian Affairs Committee and withdrew his name from contention.

This sort of outcome is not that unusual when a new administration takes over; certainly, the senators need to consider carefully the person picked to manage the $600 million for housing development lawmakers gave DHHL the previous session.

But it was the flaring of tempers, both in this hearing and at other points in the early days of the session, that set off alarm bells. What will be in store for the other 19 appointees bound for their own grilling?

At the Anderson hearing, not all of the fire came from the senators’ side of the table. Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie, there to support the nominee, was heard in the heat of the discussion saying to state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, a committee member, “You’re an idiot.”Abercrombie later apologized, Keohokalole accepted, so there was at least a peace accord on that front.

But it was only the latest scene to tarnish the current legislative session. Late last month, state Sen. Kurt Fevella also found himself apologizing to state Housing Chief Nani Medeiros at a Hawaiian Homes Commission meeting for a pointless ad hominem attack.

“Nani has nothing or no knowledge about Hawaiian people,” he said at the time. “I don’t care if she says she’s Hawaiian. Just remember, the devil also was an angel. Remember that.”

Oh, we’ll remember, all right, but maybe not in the way Fevella meant.

The worst of it — so far — was still the upbraiding of University of Hawaii President David Lassner. His critics, state Sens. Donovan Dela Cruz, Donna Mercado Kim and Michelle Kidani, all have drawn fire for public statements of their lack of confidence in Lassner and their desire for him to step down.

State legislators do have the duty of helping to delineate the role that UH, and all state agencies, play in advancing Hawaii’s interests. But the public loses confidence in its representatives when the conversation is dominated by snarky comments and legislators use their budgetary control as a cudgel — such as suggesting who or should not have his or her job at the university. Unfortunately, loss of public confidence has been the lasting effect.

Public rhetoric shouldn’t sink to such depths. Common courtesy is what keeps public discourse serious and productive, and elected leaders need to set the right tone. It’s the public’s business, after all.

Of course, state lawmakers have critical functions to perform, including navigating through competing spending priorities. This year, they will weigh Green’s proposal to appropriate $2.5 billion more in taxpayer funds for a variety of initiatives.

Lawmakers must be assured that capable people are stationed at the helm to spend it. And that will require asking tough but focused questions of Green’s nominees, but without devolving into personal attacks and political gamesmanship.

When tempers flare and all decorum is jettisoned, the whole governing enterprise grows weaker. The public loses faith in the process, and abandons interest in participating themselves.