Comparing Variables

Hi I am still new to this technology so bare with my problem. 
 
I have a default value from a xml document for an employee as <employee>John
Doe</employee>.
In the XSL stylesheet I have a node set creating a drop down list as
described below
 
<select name="employee">             
   <xsl:for-each select="$v_employee/name">
        <option value="{.}"><xsl:value-of select="."/></option>
       </xsl:for-each>     
  </select>
 
My problem is this. I want to be able to compare as each list item is being
created the value of the current item to the default value in employee, so
that I may make that value on the list the Selected Item. I have tried the
attempt below. However it seems that the value of the default value
(employee) is always null.
 
 
***<xsl:value-of select="employee"/> --- Value is John Doe ***********
 
<select name="employee">             
   <xsl:for-each select="$v_employer/employer/option">

***<xsl:value-of select="employee"/> --- Value is empty  *********** 
    <xsl:if test="employee= '{.}">
     <option value="{.}" selected="selected"><xsl:value-of
select="./description"/></option>
    </xsl:if>    
    <xsl:if test="not(employee= '{.}')">
     <option value="{.}" "><xsl:value-of select="./description"/></option>
    </xsl:if>        
   </xsl:for-each>     
</select>
 
I guess my question is can this be done or how can I bring a value from the
main template in to be compared to the item on the list as it is iterating
through it.
 
 
 
 
John M. Fernandes 

 

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