Russia; Parliament

It would be nice to be able to see Russia's government up close and in action.  It seems however, that the government is not at all interested in that kind of attention. We visited the

The Duma

buildings of two parts of the Russian legislature; the State Duma and the Senate. The Duma is in a large building just across the street from Red Square and the Kremlin. In front of the Duma is a guard house, a cube that looks like it is made from bullet proof glass. The cube is about 6' x 10'. In it is a guard with his computer and monitor.

To get into the Duma you have to show him your identification and be approved. If you pass, you leave the cube and approach the front doors which are buzzed open to let you pass. Almost no one enters the Duma.

When I arrived in Moscow I was asked by my host what I wanted to do while I was here.

The Cube

When I mentioned visiting the Duma she expressed disbelief. "That is impossible!" she replied. "You would have to know a delegate to make an appointment."


The Russian Senate is behind the Kremlin walls and operates behind a similar wall of security. Thousands of people enter the Kremlin's grounds every day, but they are not allowed to approach the Senate. The Kremlin grounds are divided by a large square whose perimeter is defended by a cadre of traffic cops, in the middle of the square is a guard. If you want to go to the Senate you have to show

The Senate

him an ID which he carefully checks before allowing you to proceed to the second security check behind a large iron gate. 
Russians can see their government, just not in person. Every night on the news you are shown long reports featuring Putin and Medvedev showing them hard at work and describing their views and activity. Of course what a person sees is what the government decides to show them through the portal of the state controlled media. To Russians, this seems normal. To us is an affront to our notion of popular sovereignty.  We want to be able to reach out and yell at them.  Russians don't see the point.  They will do what they want to do anyway.  I wonder who is right.