Democratic Party Political Buttons Sharpen Up Over The Years

There’s a lot of water under the bridge over the last eight years when it comes to the Democratic Party. Eight years ago, Democrats were campaigning for John Kerry and John Edwards for President. Now, John Edwards may be campaigning for a better prison cell, and John Kerry has retreated to a moderate residence in the U.S. Senate.

Individual politicians come and go, but political symbols endure. The Democratic Party’s symbol, the donkey, is generations old. Still, the depiction of that symbol has become more refined over time.

Originally, the Democratic donkey was sketched in pen and ink, with gritty lines. That rough image was still evident in 2004, when Irregular Goods came out with this first Democratic Party campaign button – for a “kick ass Democrat” donkey that reared up on its hind legs. The donkey was still hand drawn, integrated with some basic computer-generated shapes.

Now, in 2012, the same political button designer has created a new version of the Democratic Party donkey.

This donkey has more vivid colors and lines, in the style of an ink drawing, but assisted by digital sharpening that create a striking illustration. The lines of the donkey have also become more realistic, depicting a more muscular action in a donkey kicking backwards, symbolically reacting against the sea of Republican red that surrounds it. Gone are the soft, naturalistic brown colors and the soft, friendly lines. This new Democratic Party political button is for Democrats seeking vigorous action.