"Having 50% of their grant leeched off" is not how indirects work.
You know what's a much bigger problem for people doing research? That the budget for a non-modular R01 from the NIH hasn't changed since the Clinton administration.
When the government hires a consultant, the rate charged is usually 2-3x the salary of that consultant; 50% is well below the 100-200+% rates you see all the time in business.