Q&A #2 -- Unsung Heroes

"Rob" asks:

Who are your unsung heroes in Massachusetts politics that do a lot of good work but do not get enough public acclaim?

An excellent question. If we're talking about elected officials, I think maybe someone like Marc Pacheco, Cynthia Creem, Stan Rosenberg, Kevin Honan, Michael Costello.. .I'm kind of pulling names out of thin air here, but they kind of stay out of the limelight but seem serious about getting things done. 

Beyond the names on the ballot, I'm generally a fan of good legislative staffers -- they are the few people around who actually dig in and learn about policy, and how laws can make people's lives better and avoid making their lives worse. Of course, none of it becomes law without first being hacked into porridge for political reasons. Similarly, many of the policy people at local advocacy groups are really on the ball and  realistic. A lot of people know Arline Isaacson, for instance, who played a huge role in defeating the gay-marriage ban. She's terrific, and there are people like her toiling anonymously at non-profits and, yes, even lobbying firms.

I'll have to give this question more thought. I promise to return to it later.