From where does this “right to a permanent, full-time job” come? In the private sector, businesses expand and contract all the time, according to market cycles. It stinks for employees, but occasionally, private sector employees are laid off. This is the way things work. If you don’t like it, get some skills that allow you to move between jobs more easily.
The “right” to keeping a Federal job comes from a desire to have a professional career civil service and bureaucracy that is insulated from partisan influence (or threats).
That’s a good thing, in principle anyways.
The problem with Federal employment isn’t that Govies are paid too much, or too little. It’s that they aren’t really paid (or promoted) based on performance and merit. Step and in some cases grade increases are automatic.
What’s needed isnt an across the board pay freeze/cut ... OR increases. What’s needed is a major overhaul of the compensation system so govies are really paid for the work the do and what they accomplish. I’ve seen plenty of govie slugs who are performing well below their grade. I’ve also seen a lot of govies who are paid much less than what they are actually providing.