Just installed a new SRAM Force shifter set and immediately noticed two things, 1.) it takes some (big paddle sweep) effort to get the front shifter to upshift and,
Well, that's how it is typically. For the front shifter, short sweep - downshift, long sweep - upshift. As for the actual amplitude of the long sweep... yes, it feels kinda big, but that's just the way it is.
2.) when downshifting the chainring their appears to be two distinct 'clicks'; the first click seems to trim the FD slightly inboard while the second drops the chain into the small chainring. Is this normal? I'm guessing the two 'clicks while downshifting is to trim the chainline slightly in order to allow "big chainring/big cog combo's".
Yes, it is a feature, not a bug. Here's a quote straight from SRAM shifter manual
"
Front Shifter: To upshift from the small chainring to the big chainring push the small shift paddle inward all the way. To downshift from the big chainring to the small chainring push the same shift paddle mid-way until you hear or feel a solid click.
Note: To minimize chain rub in extreme gear positions the front shifter provides a front derailleur trim feature when it is in the large chain ring position. To move the front derailleur to the trim position push the small shift paddle inward slightly until you hear or feel a small click."
P.S. Before I read the manual I didn't even know that the rear SRAM shifter can do one, two and three cog downshifts in one sweep, depending on how deep my long sweep is. At the end of is long sweep it clicks: one click - one cog, two clicks - two cogs, three clicks - three cogs.