The reason the manager flying around spending money to attend a downsizing meeting is gross is that the manager is spending company money (that could go to prevent downsizing).
To complete the analogy, you would need to be implying that Elon's personal money should be paid to fund federal services.
I am. These payments are called taxes.
Taxes he's successfully evaded paying using the the same tricks as every other billionaire, such as taking out loans against his shares that will be repaid after his death by his estate, which has negligible tax rates compared to the kind of income taxes paid by mere mortals.
All joking aside, if Elon -- just him, no other billionaire -- had simply paid the same marginal tax rates as any random upper-middle-class citizen, it would be 10x the amount DOGE had cut so far from the federal budget.
https://www.inc.com/bruce-crumley/why-elon-musks-faa-contrac...
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/11/us/politics/elon-musk-com...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/03/01/elon-musk...
https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/minority/as-elon-mus...
https://apnews.com/article/house-democrats-musk-doge-oversig...