Tax Day Tea Parties

A series of tea parties will be held today -- tax day -- across Virginia to protest high taxes and big government spending, including recent federal bailout packages.

Americans for Prosperity, a group that supports limited government and free trade, called 40,000 Virginians last tonight in an effort to boost turnout at the tea parties. Another 30,000 will be called this morning.

"These tea parties are a testament to the growing anger toward politicians who are wasting our money,'' said Ben Marchi, the group's state director.

In Virginia, rallies are scheduled in all regions of the state, including Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, central Virginia and Southwest. In Richmond, the event will feature Patrick Henry and James Madison impersonators along with pork sandwiches to represent pork-barrel spending.

More than 300 will take place across the nation.

The rallies began as a response to CNBC reporter Rick Santelli's Feb. 19 on-air criticism of President Barack Obama's mortgage rescue plan. "The government is promoting bad behavior," he said.