Hundreds of top political operatives, celebrities, and wealthy donors have had to change their

weekend plans.

Barack Obama has canceled his lavish 60th birthday party bash amid concerns about the spread

of the Delta variant.

Only close friends and family will celebrate at the Obama's mansion in Martha's Vineyard.

Optics presumably played a part in the decision to scrap those party plans, as well as concern

about the virus.

In Washington, members of Congress have camped out on the Capitol steps to highlight the

plight of renters facing eviction from their homes as a moratorium granted during the

pandemic ran out.

This is Checks and Balance.

Each week, we take one big theme shaping American politics and explore it in depth.

This week, it's with me, John Fastman, the economist US Digital Editor.

John Pritto is enjoying a well-earned rest, he'll be back next week.

Today, on the podcast, has the pandemic given America a chance to fix homelessness?

The federal moratorium on addictions was extended this week as COVID cases surge again,

protests over the scheduled ending of the reprieve exposed to divide between the Biden

administration and the Democratic Left.

The split is playing out in cities across the country as homelessness grows more visible.

The pandemic gives policymakers rare political momentum and funding to tackle the problem.

But will they?

Joining me this week are Aaron Braun, our Mountain West correspondent who has written a fantastic

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