It’s always interesting when former elected officials weigh in on current issues facing the governmental body on which they previously served.

They certainly have the right to voice their opinion, but that doesn’t mean what they say has any real substance. More often than not, these former elected officials spout off self-serving diatribes in an effort to justify the misguided actions they took while in office or restore their diminished reputation in the community.

While many of these former elected officials spewed a lot of rhetoric and ran on a platform of bringing change to their community or school district, they failed to deliver what they promised. It’s almost as if once they were elected, they conveniently forgot all the ideals upon which they campaigned.

In fact, when they actually served in office, most accomplished little or nothing. Some even managed to alienate a large segment of the voting public with their outrageous and unattainable proposals. In their self-serving quest for personal glory, they listened to no one — not their fellow board members nor the community.

And when it came time to own up to the substantial damage they had inflicted on their community or school district, they either did not have the intestinal fortitude to seek re-election or they quit in a huff before their term expired, expressing disgust with the very community that elected them.

Today, these former elected officials have an answer for any issue facing their community or school district. They’ll be the first ones to tell you they’re smarter than any current elected official with whom they disagree.

It’s also ironic that some who cited constraints on their time as the reason for not seeking re-election, now have plenty of time to attend every single meeting of the board on which they served. They apparently have no shame for the disgraceful actions they took in office, as they continue to speak out either in person at board meetings or on little-read blogs or Facebook pages.

So whether they are self-righteously trying to defend their pathetic record or attempting to smear someone they disagree with, what they have to say surely must be taken with a grain of salt.

We might have a different view if they would have the courage to step up and try to regain their office, instead of cowardly throwing barbs from the peanut gallery.