The far-right is controlling the Republican Party, and Kevin McCarthy is embracing it

December 10, 2021

Since Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) became a law maker, I have been calling her and her close colleagues from the House Freedom Caucus such as Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Congressman Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) the

Why independent journalism is dying in the Dominican Republic

December 10, 2021

I knew early on that journalism was a main interest of mine. So, I decided to take a three-month internship at HOY newspaper, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (DR).  I didn’t think much of it, I wasn’t sure what the

Shane Dawson, YouTube’s racist old Grandpa

December 10, 2021

Content Warning: This article contains mentions of racism, pedophilia, zoophilia, and sexual harassment.  It’s August 2018, and Shane Dawson’s “The Secret World of Jeffree Star” is premiering to millions. Jeffree Star is known for his controversies, but if anyone can

Dive right in, head first

December 2, 2021

Let me tell you a story about a guy who meets a girl. They like each other, there’s sexual attraction, so eventually, they want to have some sexy time. They find a place to get down and dirty, they kiss,

‘Absolutely Normal’: Steely Dan makes a triumphant return to Boston

December 2, 2021

Donald Fagen, decked out in a blazer and sunglasses, remarked to the raucous crowd of Baby Boomers at Nov. 19’s Steely Dan concert that he and the band were going to play a “carefully curated collection of random shit.” I,

The Future Of Historical Plaques – And How Emersonians Shape It

December 1, 2021

In 1807, it was where John Quincy Adams envisioned the laws that would govern our nation for centuries to come. Now, it’s where Emerson students get Starbucks coffee in the morning. These two realities are separated by centuries of time,

Going home for the holidays is a privilege

December 1, 2021

This Thanksgiving, following a pandemic, many of my peers and I were able to experience the warm feeling of being able to go home and take in a semblance of normalcy. For me, that meant spending time with my family

Don’t let apathy stop you from grieving the loss of a pet

November 18, 2021

When we lose a family member, we are told to grieve. We cut our days short, we make funeral arrangements, we take time off, or drown ourselves in work. We do whatever it takes to get by.  For so many,

Don’t stuff your animals; team anti taxidermy

November 18, 2021

Don’t taxidermy your precious pet. After all, there’s a reason why the vet doesn’t tell you you’ll get your pet back in good shape if it dies. As I scroll through TikTok, I look at the curated videos suggested to

It’s OK to get attached after sex

November 18, 2021

Losing one’s virginity is usually a powerful moment in one’s life, and it often results in feeling a strong connection to whomever they lost it to. I’m here to tell you that such a feeling is normal, and nothing to

Is Taylor Swift revolutionary or is she just white?

November 11, 2021

With the upcoming re-release of Taylor Swift’s award-winning album Red on Friday, it’s about time to investigate exactly why we love this white woman and her mediocre singing voice so much.  The easiest conclusion would be that we like her

Vaccine mandates aren’t fascism; they’re a public health imperative

November 11, 2021

Life gets you down sometimes, and that’s understandable. But if you ever feel worthless or unwanted, just remember this past Sunday, a group of what are clearly very “well-rounded” individuals gathered to shout about conspiracies in a public park by

Travis Scott fans need to re-evaluate their relationship with the artist

November 10, 2021

A year ago, or even a few weeks ago, believing people shouldn’t die at concerts wouldn’t be considered remotely controversial. But after eight people died at Astroworld in Houston on Saturday, it seems to be a possibility. Why? Houston rapper

Stop kink shaming: all types of sex are valid

November 10, 2021

People have sex. That is a concept that society has come a long way in wrapping its head around, which is great. Now, society needs to wrap its head around kinks and the wide array of fetishes that people may

Democrats could lose electoral power if they don’t unite

November 4, 2021

“The honeymoon is over,” according to CNN political commentator Van Jones. That is indeed the case as democrats are heading towards ugly midterm elections. Less than a year from the midterm elections, the Democratic party must reunite to pass Biden’s

Super stoked to get super soaked; We should all buy a vibrator

November 4, 2021

Sept. 26. That’s the day my life changed, the day I met the best friend any girl could ever ask for.  From that first day I met him, Gavin has been by my side through thick and thin, through good

We can’t continue to ignore the toxicity of fraternities

November 4, 2021

Since moving to this country and dipping my toes into what is considered the “American college experience,” there is one thing I still can’t wrap my mind around—Greek life.  Although the idea of a sorority is hilarious to me due

Grad students must overcome the barrier of age and program differences to thrive

October 28, 2021

As post-undergraduate programs increase exponentially in enrollment, according to a report from the United States Census Bureau, the social division between undergraduates and graduates persists. This acts as a barrier to opportunity, which in-turn affects all students. Student organizations are

One month isn’t enough to recognize the strength of those fighting breast cancer

October 28, 2021

On Oct. 17, I lost my aunt, Nafisa, to breast cancer. After 16 years of fighting, she was forced to give up because her body gave in, even if her conscience wasn’t ready yet. Losing her made me realize that

Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox—hope for weird couples everywhere

October 28, 2021

It’s official—Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox have become the celebrity equivalent of that gross high school couple that would make out under the stairwell in between classes or better yet, the couple that could be seen making out on

Down with the drinking age

October 28, 2021

As an immigrant, I’ve found a long list of things that don’t make sense in the U.S., but the drinking age being 21 might take the cake.  Since 1984, the legal drinking age in the United States has been 21

Keemstar, The Bogeyman of YouTube

October 21, 2021

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of racism, homophobia, sexual assault, suicide, and pedophilia. YouTube drama trending on Twitter can only mean one thing—Keemstar crawling out of the basement he lives in to spew out the worst take anyone’s ever

Fraternities and Colleges perpetuating a culture of abuse

October 21, 2021

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of sexual assault and rape. On Friday, Oct. 8, a female student at the University of Delaware was kidnapped, strangled to the point of unconsciousness, and assaulted by her ex-boyfriend.  Brandon Freyre, a 20-year-old

American exceptionalism foreshadowed our pandemic response

October 21, 2021

As Americans, we have been taught to believe that the U.S. is the pinnacle of what a nation should be. To question the authority of our nation would be borderline-treasonous, as this is the best the world has to offer. 

The phrase ‘pick me’ has added fuel to the fire that is internalized misogyny.

October 21, 2021

If you’re a frequent TikTok user, there’s no doubt you’ve seen the term “pick me” flooding the comment sections of girls’ TikTok accounts.  For those who don’t know, Urban Dictionary (the obvious be all and end all of definitions) defines

Harassment of journalists in Kashmir is getting worse every day

October 14, 2021

India’s government is treating journalists in Kashmir as terrorists, and it is disproportionately affecting Muslims. From being unnecessarily arrested to beaten, attacked and murdered, journalists in Kashmir fear for their lives as they try to do their jobs but are

Texas should look to other countries before stripping away women’s rights

October 14, 2021

Over the course of my life, I feel like I have been watching women’s rights walk a tightrope across a giant canyon. But, when I was home in the Dominican Republic this summer, something felt different.  While I was busy

Get the vaccine, your lack of sympathy is showing

October 14, 2021

When the general population became eligible for the vaccine on April 19, cases, hospitalizations, and deaths drastically declined, providing the much-needed glimmer of hope.  But with the arrival of the highly-transmissible Delta variant in late June, those hopes were shattered

New prison is a step in the wrong direction

October 7, 2021

MCI-Framingham, built in 1877, is one of the oldest women’s state prisons in the U.S. Needless to say, the facility is in need of structural repair, or in this case, a replacement. Massachusetts intends to do so with a $50

Turning Point U.S.A, should there be a voice for them on campus?

October 7, 2021

Emerson students erupted with justified anger after the recent Turning Point U.S.A Emerson tabling event in the 2 Boylston Place alleyway, when the organization passed out stickers reading “China kinda sus” on Sept. 30. In the midst of this controversy,

The pill made me someone I’m not, and I don’t blame the hormones

October 7, 2021

Growing up, one of my family’s most watched movies was “The Bad News Bears,” a 1976 classic whose entire script quickly earned a permanent spot in my brain. Though the movie is about a little league baseball team and its

Running with your crisis

September 30, 2021

It is noon on a Sunday, you wake up in the clothes you wore last night. You are extremely hungover and the only thing messier than you is the state of your room. Your head is pounding from last night’s

Pandemonium at Paramount

September 30, 2021

Imagine arriving for the first time at college, already bubbling over with nervousness and excitement, ready to learn and adapt to your new environment, overjoyed to be part of a new community. You get settled into your dorm, hit it

A year without Jenna Marbles

September 24, 2021

It’s Virgo season, beech, and Jenna Marbles is nowhere to be found. Over a year has passed since Jenna Marbles left YouTube, and as we pass her 35th birthday on Sept. 15, the internet misses its favorite Virgo. YouTube as

The Hypocrisy of Choice in Texas

September 24, 2021

With abortion rights once again at risk, it seems “personal freedom” is only justified in the eyes of pro-life Republicans when it comes to their right to not wear a mask or opt-out of a life-saving vaccine, and not women’s

Stop trauma dumping on your friends and strangers

September 24, 2021

There is something that I have noticed in my youth — a lack of consideration. Young adults are ready to jump at any opportunity to tell the world why we feel bad, without stopping to think about the effect it

The environment, your sanity, and student budgets

September 17, 2021

For the average student, being an environmentalist comes with a hefty price tag. Eating organic foods and exclusively supporting eco-friendly brands are expensive choices to make— especially if you’re spending upwards of $51,264 a year in tuition alone. For the

Post 9/11 Islamophobia still terrifies American Muslims

September 17, 2021

After the tragic attacks on September 11, 2001, the entirety of the American population was traumatized and devastated. However, it slipped the minds of many that Middle Eastern and Southeast Asians residing in the United States of America could feel

The Impossible job market for students

September 10, 2021

For young people everywhere, looking for employment after graduation has become much more difficult. High competition, little work experience, a pandemic, and the recession it caused, have made it increasingly difficult for recent graduates or even current students to navigate

Haiti current climate is not for you to dismiss

September 10, 2021

It seems like with everything happening in Haiti, the media has been searching for single incidents that could explain away the nation’s current climate. On Wednesday, July 7, former Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated by unknown operatives, and his

The spark of a climate revolution

September 9, 2021

Over the course of the past 20 years, Chevron Corporation, the second-largest oil company in America, has spent billions of dollars trying to silence those who have opposed them and their practices.  Steven Donziger is the environmental lawyer who led

Is this year really COVID safe?

September 2, 2021

If you would have asked me in mid-June whether I thought removing the mask mandate and relieving some social distancing measures was a sign that things could finally revert back to normal at Emerson College, I would have probably said

U.S. media coverage of Palestinian struggles lags behind

September 2, 2021

Calling family is something that the average person sees as routine, not an emotionally grueling task. You talk about your day, maybe complain a bit about the traffic or how you didn’t get enough sugar in your coffee this morning.

Tuition strike urges Emerson to redistribute funds

September 2, 2021

As many Emerson students might be aware, at the beginning of March it was announced that tuition will increase for all undergraduate students for the second consecutive year. While already battling financial uncertainty during a pandemic, students must now make

Emerson College, a gentrifying force

August 3, 2021

Most Emerson students reap the benefits of private education in the heart of Boston for a good four years. But it’s one thing to temporarily occupy space and another to come in and occupy so much that it completely changes

Colorism dominates the Dominican beauty industry

May 19, 2021

Ingrid Patricia Grassals, founder and owner of Go Natural Caribe, the first natural hair salon in the Dominican Republic, shuttered her salon doors due the COVID-19 pandemic in January. She had offered an essential service to Dominicans—natural hair care, a

Social media forces us to relive our relationships over and over

April 22, 2021

With a simple Google search, I can find out the employer of my middle school crush, know that my high school boyfriend is pledging to a fraternity, and see photos of an old classmate’s newborn baby. Social media sleuthing isn’t

Climate change is detrimental for people living in poverty

April 21, 2021

A few days ago it was raining, and for the first time in a while, it wasn’t too cold for me to enjoy the drizzle. Whenever I see rain, my mind immediately travels back home to the Dominican Republic, where

We Are Here: college theatre programs need to create more inclusivity for students of color

April 14, 2021

If someone asks me to sing “Breath” from In The Heights one more time, I think I might actually escort myself back to Puerto Rico. When I auditioned for Emerson’s musical theatre program, I remember sitting in the Paramount dance

Femicide in India defines the country’s patriarchy

April 14, 2021

TW: This op-ed contains graphic mentions of misogyny, sexual assault, domestic abuse, and murder. On April 10, a 26-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her husband in Delhi, India. The woman, Neelu Mehta, was repeatedly stabbed 25 times in

The Minnesota assault overturn shows that the justice system is going backward

April 8, 2021

Through recent Instagram posts, I found out the state of Minnesota does not fairly investigate a sexual assault case if the victim was voluntarily intoxicated. I was repulsed by this fact.  The Minnesota Supreme Court overturned Francios Momolu Khalil’s conviction

Fear-mongering in the media has spiraled out of control

April 7, 2021

On March 25, NPR published “Few Facts, Millions Of Clicks: Fear Mongering Vaccine Stories Go Viral Online.” In the story, NPR analysts point out that while the odds of dying after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine are virtually nonexistent, articles connecting

Yearly tuition increases should not become the norm

March 31, 2021

On March 15, Emerson announced a “flexibility week” meant to tackle the steady decline of students’ mental health. That same week, it was announced that not only will Emerson students not receive a vaccine from the college before the end

Internship for credit: gaining experience or getting scammed?

March 31, 2021

During my first-year student orientation, I was excited to see that Emerson offered academic internship opportunities, including one located in Washington D.C. I eagerly put my name down for their email list and started imagining myself working on Capitol Hill.

There is no excuse for hate crimes against Asian Americans

March 25, 2021

The recent murder of eight people, including six of Asian descent at three different locations—a massage parlor in Acworth, GA and two spas in Atlanta, GA—calls for an addressing of hate crimes against Asian Americans in the United States.  Since

David Dobrik’s kingdom of bullying

March 25, 2021

Trigger Warning: This column contains mentions of racism, homophobia, ableism, and sexual assault. Over the past couple of years, the YouTube community has seen the rise and fall of many internet giants on the platform. From Shane Dawson, Jeffree Star,

Private corporations must be held accountable for climate change, not the American public

March 25, 2021

For as long as I can remember it has been ingrained in me that helping the planet is my individual responsibility. Posters in the hallways of my middle school urged me to “go green” and television ads told me to

When will I get the vaccine?

March 19, 2021

Amid seven new variants of the already malicious novel coronavirus reaching the United States, my fellow Emerson students and I wonder: when will we get the vaccine?  Emerson students have received email after email regarding COVID-19 vaccine updates, all with

Adapting to hybrid learning is a privilege

March 17, 2021

Trigger warning: This op-ed discusses topics related to mental illness. After a year of experimenting with new forms of learning in an attempt to simulate an in-person experience, it is quite evident that nothing compares to traditional in-person learning.  Even

Traversing grief in a pandemic

March 17, 2021

While scrolling through Twitter—a passive and frequent pandemic pastime—I’ll see tweets along the lines of “We survived 2020; that’s something to celebrate.” While of course, that is something worth celebrating, I can’t help but think of the grand scale of

A year of loss and disappointment: what the pandemic has taken from us

March 17, 2021

I remember my last day of normalcy perfectly. I met my friend Natalie for morning coffee at The Thinking Cup, went back to my dorm to say a quick goodbye to my roommate, and took the blue line to Boston

Pandemic highlights education inequities in the Dominican Republic

March 11, 2021

On Feb. 14, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Education, Roberto Fulcar, affirmed that there is still no set date for the return of students to the classrooms. He said that decision will depend on the spread of coronavirus across the

Texas, please stop embarrassing me

March 9, 2021

As proud as I am to be a Texan, attending school in Boston has forced me to reflect on the state that I love—and it’s become apparent just how flawed my home state’s local government and elected officials can be. 

The need for digital knowledge is more important than ever

March 6, 2021

We’ve all heard the short explanation for how computers work: ones and zeroes. There is electricity involved, algorithms, and some processing units that allow us to carry more technology in our backpacks than our grandparents saw in their entire lives.

Confronting my loneliness was a double-edged sword

March 1, 2021

I first moved to Boston in the fall of 2017 from Westminster, Massachusetts; a small, rural town. It was a move that filled me to the brim with anxiety and excitement—emotions at the opposite ends of intensity, caused by the

Trump should have been convicted. Here’s why.

February 24, 2021

Most of us can agree that the Senate’s vote on Feb. 13 to acquit Trump of inciting the Jan. 6 Capital attack was more than disappointing. Not just because we want to put ‘Trump talk’ to rest, but because the

Creating art is not limited to just artists

February 23, 2021

When I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a painter. But I became discouraged after my mom told me I didn’t have the talent to be a painter, and that the term ‘artist’ could never apply to me. Ever

The Pandemic made loungewear exclusive for elites

February 17, 2021

Since the pandemic began in March of last year, our time has been consumed by WiFi and computer screens due to the nature of remote living. Suddenly, people who worked nine to five corporate jobs are rolling out of bed

To All the Books I’ve Loved Before: What Happened to Netflix’s Top Teen Franchise

February 17, 2021

For Valentine’s Day, Netflix gifted its subscribers with the third and final installment of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movie series based on the book trilogy of the same name by Jenny Han.  The movies featured Lana

America’s opioid epidemic lies in the health care system

February 16, 2021

On Feb, 4, NPR released a segment of their morning edition broadcast, where they discussed the current legal state of consulting giant McKinsey and Company. Recently, the company reached a total of $573 million in lawsuit settlements with nearly 50

Superbowl traditions this year just weren’t the same

February 13, 2021

The general sentiment of last Sunday’s Super Bowl seems to be ‘disappointment.’ Many viewers felt the game itself was boring for the standards of a Super Bowl, with a lackluster game and a referee that some see as biased against

Why you should care about Trump’s second impeachment

February 10, 2021

It’s been one month since the House of Representatives introduced articles of impeachment against former President Donald J. Trump for incitement of insurrection. The argument against him? The role he played in encouraging a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol

As a journalist, I still deserve to have an opinion

February 10, 2021

As journalists, we are taught that objectivity is the key to good reporting. We’re taught we must not allow our biases to seep into our reporting and writing. We either must keep our opinions to ourselves or drop them off

Climate justice must include Indigenous sovereignty

February 10, 2021

When I think of the year 2016, it seems like eons have passed. In the past four years, time has moved awry, with one headline after another bringing waves of turmoil caused by the Trump administration. Empathy and compassion are

New legislation in India causes farmer protests over corporate privatization

February 10, 2021

Since Aug. 2020, farmers in India are protesting new laws passed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that significantly lessen government regulation around sale, pricing and storage of produce. Three bills were passed on Sep. 14, 2020 by the Bharatiya Janata

How good is Rudy Giuliani at establishing law and order?

February 6, 2021

In February of last year, the president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, hired Rudy Giuliani as a consultant for national security services. Today, the former New York City mayor is being sued for more than $1.3 billion by Dominion

The missing half: The reality of Mexico’s femicide crisis

February 3, 2021

Content warning: This Op-ed discusses topics of domestic violence, murder, sexual assault, and gender-based violence.  On Mar. 9 of last year, millions of women carried out one of the largest protests in Mexican history. We did not leave our homes—we

The GameStop surge shows Wall Street’s contempt for the “free” in free market

February 3, 2021

The stock market uproar over the past two weeks has enthralled financial institutions and social media platforms alike. It threatens to prove, if nothing else, that the “free” in “free market” exists only in the eye of the beholder—that is

Unity in America is a far-off dream

February 3, 2021

On Jan. 20, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. stood in front of the Capitol Building and gave his inaugural address. His words had a resounding theme, one that I wasn’t surprised by but was still startled to hear. He spoke

Could the pandemic get rid of fast fashion for good?

January 26, 2021

COVID-19 has heavily impacted the fashion world, which has led to more than a one-third drop in revenue within the fashion industry. Even though the world is forced to adapt to the pandemic, the fashion world may never be the

Starting college during the pandemic takes a toll on mental health

January 24, 2021

Moving onto campus for the first time as a freshman is daunting. Stepping out of your comfort zone while meeting new people from different backgrounds is one of the building blocks of the college experience. During a pandemic, the freshman

Video games are the modern form of storytelling

January 20, 2021

Video games have been around since the 1950s, bringing forth old-school classic computer games like “Tennis for Two” and “Spacewar.” Since then, video games are continuously proving to be the newest technology on the market and the increased demand for

Social media normalizes plastic surgery in a dangerous way

January 17, 2021

When a friend in middle school told me she couldn’t wait to spend her Bat Mitzvah money on a nose job, I told her to “go for it.” I remember thinking that plastic surgery was a positive thing; that it

Why are so many people hesitant to take the COVID-19 vaccine?

January 15, 2021

Amid a pandemic that has taken 1.96 million lives and is set to infect many more, the world anxiously awaited a vaccine. Vaccines typically require years of development before reaching the clinic, but the events of 2020 forced scientists to

The Capitol attack that could have been prevented

January 9, 2021

On the day Congress met to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over incumbent President Donald Trump, a violent mob of pro-Trump insurrectionists attempted to overrun the Capitol building.  Trump supporters stormed the typically peaceful Rotunda, touting confederate flags and shattering

He’s Got Spunk: He texts me, he texts me not

December 15, 2020

Much like everyone in my generation, I use dating apps. Tinder, Grindr, and Hinge are currently downloaded on my phone. And despite the desperation that list gives off, I don’t particularly like dating apps. I think they’re superficial, placing the

How to avoid the hostile political talk at the dinner table this holiday season

November 23, 2020

As the fall semester slowly comes to its end, many students across the country are preparing to return home for Thanksgiving. This year has been a whirlwind, and let’s face it: we all need and deserve a big fat break.

What Biden’s win means for key industries in the Caribbean countries

November 23, 2020

As inauguration day approaches, leaders of Caribbean countries are coming together to congratulate the newly elected president, Joe Biden. As we move from an administration that strained international relations these past four years, I wonder what the inauguration will mean

Emo Never Dies: How Joe Biden helped kickstart the emo music genre

November 18, 2020

When I think of emo music, I used to think of Gerard Way, Patrick Stump, Brendon Urie, or Hayley Williams. After the 2020 presidential election, I now know the truth—President-elect Joe Biden is the undisputed King of Emo. Dear readers,

How I managed my ADHD diagnosis during COVID-19

November 18, 2020

Back in March, it was easy to chalk up the changes in my mental state and my struggles with online classes to the fact that every CNN notification felt like it came straight out of Stephen King’s The Stand. Following

Take a moment and appreciate the DH food

November 14, 2020

Why are the doors to the dining hall so heavy? My noodle arms absolutely cannot handle so much weight. Why does it always smell so funky in the dining hall? Where is the normal food? Talking through a mask is

The next step for pandemic-ridden pro sports after election

November 10, 2020

Embed from Getty Images Saturday became a record-breaking day as Joe Biden defeated incumbent President Donald Trump in the election—the first time a sitting leader only lasted one term since George H.W Bush was just known as George Bush back

Why I am one of the voters that helped Wisconsin go blue

November 10, 2020

Four years ago, I had just turned seventeen. I was balancing the stress of school at Medford Area Senior High in Wisconsin, a social life, and the mental toll from losing three grandfathers within the year. But all those emotions

Don’t tell athletes to “shut up and dribble”

November 10, 2020

Embed from Getty Images Basketball superstar LeBron James’ nonprofit voting organization More Than A Vote played an integral role in last week’s election by helping drive the record turnout of Black voters—a move that boosted former Vice President Joe Biden

Biden’s win is defined by his personal losses

November 9, 2020

On Election Day, before Joe Biden’s final stops on the campaign trail, he paid a stop to Greenville, Delaware. He attended Mass at Saint Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church. After the service, he visited his son, Beau, at

Biden’s victory is the beginning of an America people can be proud of

November 9, 2020

Around four years ago, I became a citizen of these “United” States. I was reluctant to become a citizen because of the reputation Americans had cultivated to outsiders—selfish people who did what they wanted and did everything gluttonously. With that,

Optimism of uncertainty: What the Biden-Harris victory means for international students

November 9, 2020

The whole world has been waiting for this victory — for four years.  As soon as The Associated Press called that Democratic nominee Joe Biden won the electoral vote of his native Pennsylvania, pushing him over the 270 electoral-vote threshold