For all the rhetoric on either side, there's something often overlooked in these arguments: Results.

Particularly, the capabilities of the Jarls, both original and replacement.

Whiterun: Balgruuf vs Vignar Gray-Mane.

Baalgruf is the model of a Reasonable Authority Figure it seems, as evidenced from his consideration of facts before him in dragons. Vignar, on the other hand, appears to be entering the throes of old age memory loss, as indicated by Vilkas's comments about the Companions' history ("Unlike Vignar, I can remember it all!")

Falkreath: Siddgeir vs Dengeir

Siddgeir is obviously just a layabout. But that means at least he won't get in the way of the one really running the hold, Nenya the steward. Dengeir, on the other hand... something may actually ring true about being too old: he seems to have a paranoia about "imperial spies"... Would having someone who could act on that paranoia be a wise choice to have on the throne?

Pale: Skald vs Brina Merelis

Here's a pretty clear-cut case. Skald has a Leeroy Jenkins complex it seems; sending all his troops to "glory" and leaving none left to guard the realm, or defending Dawnstar with every man woman and child against a Legion attack seems more important to him than the safety of his subjects. Conversely, Brina is a retired Legate, and certainly didn't earn the undying loyalty of Horik Halfhand by being a nepotistic ladder-climber.

Winterhold: Korir vs Kraldar

One one side we have a jarl that would rather simmer and seethe at the Evil Mages that definitely did destroy the town despite the complete lack of evidence to that effect, vs the old blue-blood of the town who wants to foster relations with the only current point of interest left in the town and has an eye towards rebuilding. Another pretty clear-cut case.

Rift: Laila Law-Giver :rolleyes: vs Maven Black-Briar

Riften. Never will you find a more wretched hive full of scum and villainy. To be honest... nothing really changes except the formality of Maven's power. Except maybe a slight increase in the chance that Maven would encompass all of Riften into her "domain" that she would defend by summoning a legion regiment with a snap of her fingers.

Markarth: Igmund vs Thongar Silver-Blood

Any arguments to putting a proverbial mafia don into a formal position of power that pro-Stormcloaks levy regarding Riften can be easily dissipated with Thongar and Markarth. Igmund seems to adhere to something similar to a quip of wisdom from Star Trek DS9: "Destroying an empire to win a war is no victory, ending a battle to save an empire is no defeat". It may not be fun having goldenrod jackboots prancing about Markarth... but it's certainly better than goldenrod jackboots sacking and slaughtering Markarth. On the flipside, the Silver-bloods are just as rotten as the Black-briars. Using the Foresworn as their own personal hit squad (and duping them in the process), exploiting free labor from prisoners, and giving "protection" to competing mines whose operations "need" to be suspended to "defend" against foresworn "attacks".

Hjallmarch: I honestly don't know enough about the Stormcloak replacement jarl, so I can't really opine...

And now last but not least...

Eastmarch: Ulfric Stormcloak vs Brunwulf Free-Winter

Ulfric's rhetoric is pretty hard-hitting, but like all rhetoric, it can easily fall apart if practice is examined. Ulfric's racism is well-known. He completely ignores the plight of any non-Nordic subjects, letting like-minded better-off subjects to exacerbate their plight. Why? Why is Skyrim at a detriment if non-Nords live in it?

After Brunwulf gets the throne, the steward makes a comment about Ulfric's temper as well. From what Alvor says in the beginning, I get the gist that the Empire mostly turned a blind eye to Talos worship in Skyrim as long as they were discrete about it. But Ulfric turns about and exemplifies all the bad parts of Nordic pride and antagonizes the Thalmor over it.

Arguments have been made questioning the veracity of Ulfric's "With us or Against us" mentality as illustrated in "The Bear of Markarth", but it pans out in his attempt to invade Whiterun. Balgruuf was publicly on the fence on the civil war. So what does Ulfric do? Sends assassins to kill Balgruuf (which all met the wrong end of Irileth's sword according to her) and then outright attacked Whiterun after intimidating Balgruuf into casting his lot in with the Imperials. Why not the diplomatic approach? Because Ulfric is "With us or Against us". He could have appealed to Balgruuf's piety towards Talos, or other Nordic traditions (since both practice as evidenced by the axe messenger parley), but nope. Politics and civic administration is not a war with formalized enemies and friendlies. "WIth us or Against us" is a surefire way to make a lot of people consciously choose "against" mainly out of pre-emption.

Brunwulf? He immediately sets in motion plans to rebuild Windhelm after the siege, chats with the Gray Quarter locals about some renewal plans, and sadly hits a wall in attempts to uplift the Argonians forced to live where they work on the docks (thanks to the racism that Ulfric bred in his people). And also shows amnesty in housing the exiled Stormcloak-supporting jarls after the war (well... not Skald, he literally Leeroy Jenkinses into the Windhelm siege. :shrug: )

So... which really is better for Skyrim?