Americans should be so lucky.  Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper led his Conservative Party to a smashing victory and majority status yesterday in Canada's parliamentary elections.  Harper's Conservatives have been governing Canada successfully as a minority government for the past five years.

While the United States has been roiled by economic troubles and out-of-control government spending and borrowing, Harper's government has pursued policies that have kept the Canadian dollar sound and the nation's economy on solid footing. 
 
Canadian voters gave the conservatives a majority based on its strong performance during a time of global economic crisis.  Conservatives needed 155 seats in the Canadian Parliament's lower house to win a majority.  Latest results have Conservatives capturing 167 seats. 

Majority status means that Harper and the Conservatives will have a freer hand to pursue government and economic reforms that weren't possible as a minority governing party.

Of note, the Liberal Party, traditionally Canada's dominate party, suffered heavy losses, along with Bloc Québécois, which only scratched four seats in Parliament. 

The New Democratic Party - a hard left and union amalgam - surged to the principle opposition in the lower house, pulling 105 seats. 

Harper's Conservatives should show the way for Republicans in next year's U.S. elections.  Conservatives have offered Canadians sober, sensible approaches to Canada's problems that have translated into sound policies. 

Obama's ‘08 sizzle, soaring rhetoric, and dreamy utopian platitudes aren't the stuff voters look for when facing tough problems and hard times.  Principled, solution-oriented proposals, less and more responsible government, are what concerned American voters will seek in 2012.