Capitals

Having successfully pushed for historic changes in Maryland laws regarding expanded casino gambling, in-state college tuition rates for some undocumented-immigrant students, and the right of gay people to marry, Gov. Martin O'Malley is now in a position to address one of the last great pieces of unfinished business of his time in Annapolis: abolishing the state's death penalty. Mr. O'Malley, who opposes capital punishment on religious and practical grounds, reportedly is considering whether to ask the legislature to take up the matter again when it meets in January.

Historians note the American alliance with King Louis XVI sustained the American cause during the darkest days of the Revolution. The history is impossible to escape. But for the deal struck in February 1778, General Washington and his Continental Army would likely not have survived. Nevertheless, and despite a successful alliance in two world wars, taking the French to task has become a popular American sport. French resistance to U.S. foreign policy moves is one reason.

When Marylanders cast their ballots on Election Day, they said "yes, you can" to same-sex couples who want to get married, to young people whose families immigrated here illegally and who hope to receive in-state tuition, and to casino operators who want to expand their operations here. Now, as we move forward from this election, it's time to say "yes, you can" to another group of Marylanders who are no less deserving of affirmation: public school students from underserved communities.

Baltimore's Fifth Regiment Armory is a good place to start for some perspective on the recent presidential election. Within its gray stone walls, the tumultuous 1912 Democratic National Convention played a major scene in the political drama that resulted in an incumbent president not only being defeated, but finishing third in the national election. The dynamics that led to such an extraordinary result are lessons that apply to any analysis of an election involving a sitting president.

In the wake of Mitt Romney's loss to President Barack Obama, many in the Republican Party are soul-searching, to determine where their man went wrong in his attempt to attract a majority of voters. Was it because he was stiff and un-relatable or because he seemed willing to take any position to get elected? Or that he should not have attempted to coast over the finish line after a strong first debate performance? One key area being examined is why Republicans nominated a candidate from big business as the nation was trying to recover from a recession that many think was brought on largely by the excesses of big business (i.e.

First Mariner Bancorp announced Friday that it is dropping out of an agreement that called for Priam Capital Fund I, a New York investment firm, to invest $36.4 million in the Baltimore-based bank holding company. "Circumstances of the bank have changed considerably since we entered into the agreement over a year and a half ago, and the board of directors believed it was in the best interest of the company to withdraw from the agreement at this time," said CEO Mark A. Keidel in a statement.

Less than a week before the U.S. election, former president of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev berated America and all but endorsed the sitting president and fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner at an event I attended in Houston. Speaking last Thursday from a podium built by oil money and introduced by a socialite teetering in a French shoemaker's trademarked red-soled heels, he admonished those in the audience to scrap free enterprise for "sustainability. " Taking a theme from Barack Obama's campaign, Mr. Gorbachev said, "The goals of economic growth should not depend on super profits and overconsumption," to vigorous applause at the Wortham Center as the banners of major oil company arts patrons benignly welcomed visitors in the grand foyer.

The Federal Reserve announced Tuesday that Patapsco Bancorp of Dundalk has agreed to take steps to maintain the soundness of the company and its Patapsco Bank subsidiary The company and the bank must submit plans showing how they will sustain sufficient capital, improve the bank's earnings, strengthen board oversight of management and operations, and reduce problem assets and exposure to commercial real estate. The company also can't declare dividends or borrow any money without regulators' approval.

Young companies in Maryland, Washington and Northern Virginia raised 14 percent less venture capital funding in the third quarter than they did last year during the same period, according to a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mid-Atlantic companies attracted $215.7 million from venture capitalists from July to September, compared with $245.7 million in the same period last year, the report showed. The regional decline mirrored a national one. Nationwide, $6.5 billion was invested in companies, down 11 percent from the third quarter last year.

The PriceWaterhouseCoopers quarterly MoneyTree report is out, and it shows who scored nice chunks of capital from investors in the Baltimore area. The report is a collaboration with the National Venture Capital Association, and uses data from Thomson Reuters. Here are the Baltimore companies -- expect to see them in the news more and more:   NameCityIndustry SectorMoneyTree StageAmountShort Business DescriptionList of All Investors in the Sequence rel-MD, Inc. Baltimore Biotech-Human Early Stage 46000 rel-MD, Inc. develops small molecule drugsfor the treatment of cancers.