What? Good Ideas in D.C.?

So didja hear the one about the financial scam being run right out of the Securities and Exchange Commission office? No, really. It promises all kinds of get-rich-quick schemes with no risk. Meanwhile, believe it or not, the meanies at the Internal Revenue Service agree that some people can file and pay their income taxes 10 days late and, not to worry, there’ll be no penalty.

What gives? Actually, good news. The federal government, home of some mini- and maxi-bungles over the years, has come up with a couple of pretty good little ideas here. And since we all nail the government for its celebrated stumbles, we probably ought to award back pats when warranted.

The SEC idea is clever. It’s actually a scam of a scam to catch potential scam victims before they’re scammed. The SEC builds a fancy Web site--www.mcwhortle.com--that purportedly makes battery-powered biohazard detection devices. Sounds kind of cutting edge, doesn’t it? A pretty sophisticated, impressive site with video testimonials, it offers maybe a 400% return in three months. Not as good as betting the Patriots without points but not too shabby. Sign us up.

But then: When you click to invest, a firm SEC warning appears saying that you could get scammed by believing such stuff. The education message gets right to the most gullible people at their most vulnerable time. The commission also has similar sites, working with government and police agencies to combat growing Internet fraud.

Then here’s President Bush, who dropped into his new budget a plan to give taxpayers filing returns electronically an extra 10 days as an incentive to boost participation. Apparently filing electronically reduces, um, misteaks. It’s obviously quicker, saves the IRS money and even provides an e-receipt. Never mind the seemingly contradictory message of giving extra procrastination time to people who can file faster.

Here’s the catch: The movable tax deadline requires the approval of Congress, which like second-graders moves quickly only when it comes to recess. Capitol Hill says it wants 80% of tax returns e-filed by 2007; about 31% were last year. Alas, Congress and its committee morass know no such thing as e-debate, e-voting or e-xpediting. So there’ll be no later filing deadline this year. Still, the e-mergence from Washington of e-ncouraging ideas leaves us for now strangely e-lated.