In my experience, the buy American crowd says one thing but without exception simply buys the cheapest thing always

What they want is for the best deal to be the local deal, but they are not well off enough to actually take a principled stance on it

Wal-Mart made it a marketing campaign in the 80s. Much of their inventory was US produced with prominent signs all over their stores.

It was the initiative of the largest retailer. You have had to live in a bubble to not know this.