It swept through Ontario from 1995 - 2002 with Premier Mike Harris (Conservative).
The basic tenets were:
- tax reduction
- balanced budget
- reduce the size and role of government
- emphasize individual economic responsibility
- increased health spending
Based on these simple principles Mike Harris was elected Premier of Ontario in 1995 with a sweeping majority. He then went and implemented everything he said he was going to do. Personal taxes were cut 30%, Provincial spending in low priority areas was drastically reduced, abled-bodied unemployed people were taken off welfare and instead transferred to workfare (they had to perform work for the government in return for getting government assistance), he eliminated one entire tier of municipal government in the City of Toronto, he balanced the Provincial budget. His reform was deep and it was harsh, but it was absolutely necessary.
The left went crazy at all the cuts, but the economic results were incredible. During Harris' reign, Ontario's economic growth exceeded every OECD nation. It was a glorious time to be alive. Later, Stephen Harper would borrow much of the Common Sense Revolution's principles and implement them at the Federal level as Prime Minister. I'd rank Harris and Harper as the two best politicians of my lifetime.
There was a study done a few years back that ranked Mike Harris as the best Canadian premier since 1980 (out of 81 Premiers) because his simple approach to government was the most effective. The study looked at the outcome of economic policies on things like job growth, balanced budgets and business investment. The survey went on to indicate that the most effective form of government (at least in Canada) is small c-conservative. I think the same would hold true for the US.