Both Rome and England walked up to the line of despotism and stepped back. They subsequently enjoyed some great centuries before eventually succumbing to un-free government.
Also on the bright side is that (AFAIK) no people ever sat down to frame or amend their institutions in order to enslave themselves.
In recent years, the people via the ballot box and their states have shown a LOT of resistance to our rulers in DC. We voted to boot the rats from congressional control in 2010, 2012, and the states have brought numerous suits against the Obama tyranny. Something like 66 of 99 state houses are not in rat hands.
I still occasionally visit a political daydream in which President Cruz informs the American people that he alone cannot possibly restore free government and that it is up to us to make it happen.
I still contend that a lawless government will never allow itself to be restrained by any laws or efforts the people attempt to put upon it. That too, is historically self-evident.
It will take the use of force to do so, and that is where I have my doubts as to the willingness of this people to risk their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to do so against a lawless beast that is made up of their corrupted countrymen.