How did the ancient Romans feel about the Roman Republic/Empire

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In particular, Rome with all of its power and influence in antiquity it fascinates me how Roman citizens particularly when Rome was at the height of its power could fathom a world where Rome as a nation did not exist and wonder just how much of a world ending catastrophe it did seem like when the barbarians sacked the capital and pretty much ended Roman influence in all of western Europe.

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Wasn't as simplistic as you describe.

and i thought i was high

Rome was already on the decline when it fell

They had long sticks with pointy things on the end

The romans from fall of the republic era wouldn’t recognize the empire as it fell.

A few things.

By the time that Rome was sacked its power had been on the decline for quite a long time. And by that time One could argue that the power that was once centered in Rome transferred to the "East" at Constantinople.

As the Republic and later Empire expanded areas were "Romanized" to varying degrees. Some places identified with Rome more than others. While Rome may collect taxes and a Roman or Romanized elite would build buildings in a town many in the town might still cling to indigenous values and practices. Think Judea in the Bible.

The idea of a nation like the U.S. is modern. While the Imperial government collected taxes and provided a grain dole in Rome it had no where near the reach or affect on the lives of ordinary citizens as the U.S. gov't does today. Your average Roman knew very little about what was really going on outside of their town. They knew what the elite told them or whatever imperial propaganda was directed to them, or whatever the local cult priest told them.

Really the "Fall of the Roman Empire" is a theory. Some argue it never really fell it just turned into something else. Yes the city of Rome ceased to be the political and cultural center of the world but the people that felt the affect of that most were the people that actually lived in Rome and by the time that happened Rome's population was in decline.

The republic was weak and bloated and lots of people were on welfare and then Julius Caesar took over and made Rome great again

That's an interesting question.
A leading factor in decline of Roman rule was not growing its Navy to keep pace with its conquest, impaired the ability to supply and control the area's being conquered.
The continuing decline of the government and citizenry could have been either the cause or effect...... ?

One could also argue that the eroding of Roman Republican values, ignoring traditional Polical restraint/decorum in pursuit of power by elites, and the watering down of military requirements and in turn watering down the Roman army was the cause of the “fall” of Rome

Cultcha was their downfall.