Here's what I feel.
Most of the Empire soldiers and supporters and hierarchy I have met seem arrogant and not friendly. YET, they are the most intelligent out of the two. If anyone is going to stop skyrim from getting held by the Thalmor's hands it's going to be them.
While the Stormcloaks, most I have met are friendly and inviting. They have justified reasons to revolt, but they are revolting in the wrong way. All stormcloaks are naive, that how I feel. They don't know what Cause and Effect is. What would happen if they destroyed the Empire? You think that the Stormcloaks could take on the Thalmor? I don't think so. If they decided to revolt in a more political way, then the Thalmor would be defeated easily by the Empire.
Empire.
The Empire can bring back the Nords by simply renouncing the WGC.If they do not they seem to be willing to risk having the only two provinces of the Empire remaining be separated(Cyrodil and High Rock) if the Stormcloaks win.
That is a huge chance to take that at best is a coin flip who wins.
Make no mistake the Empire is in the drivers seat.There are decisions the Cyrodils can make that will end this.Sadly the Empire seems to only care about Cyrodil at this point.
If Cyrodil renounces the WGC they are certainly going to get hit hard by the Thalmor but guess what if they don't renounce it they are going to get hit hard by the Thalmor.
So to paraphrase one of the greatest presidents in US history
"Mr. Emporer tear up this Concordant"