American politics. Be general or be specific, but what's going on?
Also, you mentioned a Tobin Tax, how's the campaign for/against that going?
Basically, there was no 9/11, War on Terror or Iraq. Bush won re-election in 2004, economic crisis hit and President Hillary Clinton is facing re-election against Romney, Clinton doesn't have that Obama or Bill Clinton popularity but is still outpacing Mittens.
The Tobin Tax campaign in Britain IOTL is supported by the Guardianistas and some of the Harpies (people who don't like Cruddas' socially conservative lines on some issues, especially European referendum) but the Shadow Chancellor (Darling) and Cruddas are playing the "if everyone else does it as well" card while Hague renegotiation has killed the idea of Britain joining anything but a world-wide Tobin Tax.