A better way to restrict other than the standard "shall issue" should be restrictions specifically defined in the statute such as limiting them to specific occupations or some other objective criteria.

that police simply be held to the same standards as the citizens around them.

prohibiting the bribery of public officials?

I would imagine there is a statute that prohibits public officials, particularly law enforcement, from rendering favors or preferential treatment in return for money, campaign contributions, or other gratuities.

How is this different from someone contributing to a city councilor, and getting a waiver of some zoning ordinance?

the problem is no state standard. Some counties are defacto shall issue, some are like LA. Even worse is NY, which doesn't even have any training standards outside of Westchester County, and even it is something a 14 year old in Montana would get for their first hunting license. It is simply an subjective decision by the local judge or sheriff. Some are no issue some are defeco shall issue. As much as gun control advocates bad mouth Texas laws, at least they have stringent training requirements that are uniform statewide.

and then go after whatever cases of cronyism and bribery are uncovered.

Sounds like a case for statewide standards, as opposed to making these decisions county by county.

Now that the logjam on gun control legislation seems to be breaking, it seems like a good time to consider this particular issue, among others.

to shall issue. I think may issue violates the 14th Amendment. The problem states are those with gun laws closer to your liking. I don't see it changing in those states because of the classism in the gun control movement. The other may issue states, like Alabama and Maryland, are more ummmmmm race based than class.

Texas, Florida, Wyoming, New Mexico have standards. New York and California do not. See the difference?

Opportunity is more accurate than "logjam" since some extremists think Sandy Hook made that much of a change in public opinion. Some proposals are reasonable, others certainly are not.

"shall issue" but with stringent standards and background checks.

I agree that licenses should be issued equally, that is, due process and equal access should apply to whatever regulations are applied.

And "logjam" probably wasn't an accurate metaphor, since, up until Sandy Hook, it seemed NRA and ALEC laws were passing all across the country.

A shift in tide might then be a more apt metaphor.

all the NRA laws were mostly repealing questionable laws passed during Jim Crow and the labor strife. Ironic isn't it? Right wingers and classical liberals pushing to repeal laws passed by right wingers. AFAIK, ALEC is the paid mouth piece.

Shift in tide? Mostly because of campaign push but that window is closing. Sandy Hook is still under investigation according to this
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/342829#ixzz2KADXs1TJ