I agree with you: We want to make things simple and efficient. No matter what a government oversees, it should be simple and effective. Most of the time, the government should get out of the way to let people make money, follow their life mission, and work hard without being forced to fill out endless paperwork. We're all in agreement on that.
However, I sometimes get the impression that the argument comes back to people having other things to do with their time. Now, if their goal, ultimately, is to lobby and influence the government to change decisions, it doesn't matter whether these people work full-time, part-time or as volunteers. Whether their time is paid or not, the goal is the same.
Don't you think we should still cover these activities?