What ever happened to "facts"?

In Robert Heinlein's classic science fiction novel, "Stranger in a Strange Land", he introduced a class of public servants called "Fair Witnesses." Like a kind of priesthood, set apart from the general public and immune from outside influences, their job was to verify the truth of something they observed. Boy, could we use a few of them.
Our representational form of government was supposed to work for the public good by bringing together the diverse voices from the electorate, but it seems like the only voices that get heard are those of ideologues who can deliver armies of voters and the contributors who fund political campaigns. Is it true that all of our research scientists have either sold out to industry or are in the clutches of anti-capitalist whackos? Organizations like the NRA and the Sierra Club desparately fight every battle in their area of interest, because giving an inch will lead down some "slippery slope."
So, what are the facts? Do silicone breast implants cause cancer? Is global warming caused by burning fossil fuel? Is Michael Jackson guilty? Does masturbation cause blindness? Can I get a witness?