Bob and I like to give out campaign buttons if we can. Used to be, one could get them for free at a local campaign “headquarters,” but these days, such on-the-ground meeting spots are as rare as the ivory-billed woodpecker. Beyond that, campaigns increasingly demand payment for political ephemera instead of giving it away for free. Obtaining buttons in bulk, especially ones that are American-made and made by true-Blue believers, is far more difficult than it used to be.
The most promising source I’ve found so far is River Wolfe’s Buttons for the People. Wolfe is a free-lance artist and activist based in Columbus, Ohio, who designs and makes a huge variety of custom pins. Her buttons promote peace, love, liberal values, and fun! Shop this page for 2020 political campaign buttons and this one for buttons that speak more generally to liberal and egalitarian themes.
The button is perhaps my favorite form of political swag. I don’t wear t-shirts or baseball caps. I don’t drive enough for a bumper sticker to make sense. Buttons for the People carries on an old political tradition, with new messages such as “Disarm Hate” and “Voting Is My Superpower” that capture the aspirations and goals of Americans now.
If you don’t need buttons in bulk and are willing to pay more for single buttons, check out the lapel pins sold by the online retail store Support 2020. It sells mainly Biden-Harris accessories at good prices, but the items are not necessarily American-made. A final option for American-made merchandise is the official store of the Biden campaign. A range of buttons, some sporting Joe’s favorite sayings and others featuring his characteristic aviator sunglasses, are available. Proceeds go to to the Biden Victory Fund.
Image: River Wolfe’s “Do Not Keep Calm” button,
from Buttons for the People.com.