That's why I start my novel with a shocking massacre in FedEx stadium which takes place in front of dozens of congressmen. 100 die from the bullets, and 1,000s die in the panic stampede, and the following Monday, after the president's national address, congress outlaws all semi auto rifles with a one week turn in period.
This "fast forwarding" or kick starting of history provides a shock and a break point for those who believe (correctly) that the stadium massacre was a setup. This sets the ground for an immediate armed resistance, a small scale dirty civil war.
If OTOH, we spend another generation turning the water up a degree a year, I think we will all boil without ever lifting a hand to resist.