I told myself I would log off hours ago and get to work...so I'm picking the first point only, I'll try and remember the others later.
The skill portion of the test is to increase the likelihood that in a "good guy with a gun stopping a bad guy with a gun" situation, that it will be done as effectively as possible and minimize collateral damage. The accidents bit was supposed to be addressed by my addition of the "safety" training.
I'm not sure I'm convinced that adding the licensing requirement would reduce the number of guns. If I understand you correctly, and I may not, law abiding citizens would be deterred from purchasing firearms because of the hassle.
If that is your position, let me ask you and the others on the forum a question:
Premise: If starting today you were required to get a license for purchase, and hell let's add safety/skill training and background checks (no registry).
Questions: Would you refuse to ever buy another gun? Would you buy fewer guns?
Probably.
Luckly, I have a pretty good stash of firearms already, so I wouldn't be unarmed.
But I am not the person to be asking.
Ask people who don't already own guns, ask people who've never shot a gun, ask people who arn't already invested in RKBA, self defence, hunting and shooting sports, but would be intrested if given the oppertunity.
As it stands, I can take someone of limited finachial means, teach them to shoot, take them to a gun store, help them find a firearm they want/afford and they can buy it. Bing, bang, boom. They might never buy another, and they might end up as hard core as the people around here. You never know, but they can at least go try it.
But with your process? I can just tell them "hey, you have to go to x government agency, fill out y form, take d class and get u permit, AND then you can get a gun from f dealer."
Are they going to go through that process to buy one firearm because they were mildly intrested? Probably not.
And what happens when it's an issue of SD? I can train someone in a few hours the raw basics. If they are dedicated to their personal safety, they can and will improve on that training. But it does them less then no good if they don't have a firearm.
Are they supposed to hang a sign on their door "Dear Threat, please return in two months after my paperwork to purchase a firearm goes through. Thanks, your victum."