I agree with the points you make, but I'd say Lucas left a lot of that material for the fan-editors to clarify!

In support of your argument-- I saw that idea building since the first time I saw TPM. I was SURE that "midiclorians" were an example of it. Midiclorians seemed to me an example of how bureaucratic the Jedi had become. They were actually counting particles of Force! Can you get more misguided? Knowing that we were headed toward the downfall of everything and that Anakin was the proverbial "viper in the nest", I thought it was brilliant.

If only it were followed up on.

But it is good insight on your part that Luke is all that's left in the end-- that's why "no ghosts" feels so right. The ghosts throw that part of the story completely off balance. You're right that cutting Obi Wan down in ESB would be a good change too-- clarifying that death actually means something to these Jedi.