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"For too many years LePen stood for radicalism in the eyes of too many French. Marine is getting out from under the shroud her father cast on the name. France is a great country with great people and I believe eventually, sooner better than later, the best will prevail."

I hope you are correct. You are right that I don't know enough about French politics to truly get the feel for the French electorate. In general I prefer our style of elections over the European model. They build the coalitions for governance after the election and since there are so many parties, the will of the people gets diffuse. We have the two party system and so we build our coalitions within the two parties and then have the election. In our system, I think you are right that we have more of a say.

My first time visiting France, as a military man I did not expect the respect and reverence the French people hold for their military. When I first saw the evening memorial at the Arc De Triompe with the laying of the wreath at the eternal flame I was truly moved by the ceremony. I also enjoyed the military museum at the Hotel De Invaledes. Perhaps they are more conservative than I imagined, but it disturbs me to hear from the protestors that they basically want someone else to pay for their pensions/minimum wages, a restoration of the millionaires tax.

it disturbs me to hear from the protestors that they basically want someone else to pay for their pensions/minimum wages, a restoration of the millionaires tax.
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As in any uprising of the people, whether it be in letters to the editor of the local paper or marching in the streets, you have various components which can be misconstrued by the observer. This is simply because there are many details which cannot be boiled down to a few words. Remember that France as well as every country in Europe was once a monarchy. This form of governance established the “Class” system. We in America refuted the Monarchy and therefore through our Revolution established the “equality” of opportunity for everyone. It took years to achieve, but it did. The Europeans are still trapped in the “Class” system as it is ingrained in their history. The lower classes DO NoT have the opportunity to succeed as we do in America due to the over-regulation and over taxation of the working man.
Therefore the class system still prevails to a large extent. Professors will often ignore and not speak to the blue collar workers in their institutions for example, as the latter are considered beneath their consideration and their “standing” in society. What do you think is happening in the Democrat party here when they denounce Trump voters as being stupid, moronic, undereducated, etc. etc. etc.? It is the elite syndrome which has infected Europeans that our Dems are trying to instill here. Marxism is all about redistribution of wealth and so called opportunity for the little man as the leftist preach it. It is about attaining power by the elites, in fact. America was founded on individualism and is something the Europeans have difficulty in grasping for their countries. It is also the something the Dems in this country are trying to erase. Individualism and personal liberty is what Donald Trump is bring back to America. Why do you think the French are calling for a Trump in their country? I sincerely hope their cause succeeds.