In April 2009, political rallies were held nationwide in protest of government spending and economic bailouts. Called “Tea Parties,” these rallies spurred a new political phenomenon that has created a stir at the polls and received support by Sarah Palin. Tea Partiers have various reasons for getting involved in politics, but their most common refrain is that the government is not solving the nation’s problems. Critics acknowledge that as a movement, the Tea Party is not tasked with creating solutions like the Republican and Democratic parties. Although the future of the Tea Party movement and its lasting impact on the political system is unclear, it has brought many new people into the political process.