because in the ~~long~~ ~~medium term~~ sooner than I imagine, those things are going to happen anyway. Presenting it as a choice between "saving (some) fed employees" vs "fucking them over" is disingenuous. The actual choice is between "ceding power and the news narrative" vs not. People are upset that the Dems keep doing this, despite the long history of "working across the aisle" not working.
To address your specific points: just because there are things the Republicans want, doesn't mean they're "good" for them (see: all? of their policies). In the case of federal employees, passing the "CR"* isn't going to get them paid--the GOP doesn't care what the laws say (obviously). The Dems should be obstructing other ridiculous funding bills as well, because the only thing they can do is be in the news cycle for obstruction (and then using that time to sell progressive policies that most people agree with). That's the only leverage they have. This appeasement threw that away. The hive of scum and villainy is only going to continue their illegal cuts, and the correct response is to fight back, not to lend them more legitimacy. Dems have tried that for decades and this is what it's gotten us.
*: it's not really a "continuing" resolution, as it has a bunch of Trumpian garbage in it that wasn't in the previous appropriations bill. They're just... calling it that, and Senate Dems have tacitly endorsed it as such.
last year was my first time; looking forward to doing it every year now