In my opinion, Linux would not be where it is today without Debian.
RedHat may have convinced businesses to use Linux, but Debian really convinced everyone else to not only use Linux, but to like it.
The decisions Linux kernel devs now make are from the angle of getting and keeping customers. It is no longer about quality or security, but revenue. As a result they are making choices which make the community very unhappy, such as 'systemd' to name only one.
Maybe it is finally time to consider moving the core system to another kernel.
Debian is by far the most wide spread implementation of the GNU operating system, so if only the kernel were replaced, the rest would still work as we al like it to. (This is evident with Debian GNU Hurd & kFreeBSD projects).
The only real hurdle would be overcoming hardware compatibility, but the Debian community has grown so large it may be possible. Plus; they have been through it before, so they know what to expect.
There are many kernels available aside from Linux. Some are even superior as far as code quality. The Linux kernel has gotten large and unmanageable. Does anyone really audit these millions of lines of code? We all hear everyone say "The code is open for anyone to look for exploits" but DOES ANYONE ACTUALLY DO IT? Or does everyone think someone else is going to do it, so they don't worry about?
I strongly feel a new kernel would help preserve the Debian operating system, for it was such a huge success that many have copied it.
-j