The Department of Homeland Security has proposed new federal requirements for driver’s licenses that would allow them to be used as part of a national identification system. Using licenses for purposes not directly related to operating a motor vehicle is un-American because it would require U.S. citizens to carry the equivalent of “papers.” Such a requirement would allow the government to restrict their movements and activities in the manner of totalitarian regimes. In time, this could make other limits on freedom acceptable.

The author assumes which of the following?

(A) The next presidential election will be dishonest, as has happened in eastern European countries.
(B) The government will soon start curtailing the activities of those it considers “dissidents.”
(C) Blanket restrictions on law-abiding individuals are contrary to the traditions of American culture and law.
(D) The majority of Americans are not willing to give up their right to travel and move about without identification.
(E) Americans should resist all government regulation of their lives.

It comes close, but again, no one exactly replicates GMAT CR in my opinion.

The answe to this I believe is C, becuase the argument says that a blanket restriction is "un-american" like "totalitarian regimes"

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed new federal requirements for driver’s licenses that would allow them to be used as part of a national identification system. Using licenses for purposes not directly related to operating a motor vehicle is un-American because it would require U.S. citizens to carry the equivalent of “papers.” Such a requirement would allow the government to restrict their movements and activities in the manner of totalitarian regimes. In time, this could make other limits on freedom acceptable.

The author assumes which of the following?

a) The next presidential election will be dishonest, as has happened in eastern European countries.
b) The government will soon start curtailing the activities of those it considers “dissidents.”
c) Blanket restrictions on law-abiding individuals are contrary to the traditions of American culture and law.
d) The majority of Americans are not willing to give up their right to travel and move about without identification.
e) Americans should resist all government regulation of their lives.

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed new federal requirements for driver’s licenses that would allow them to be used as part of a national identification system. Using licenses for purposes not directly related to operating a motor vehicle is un-American because it would require U.S. citizens to carry the equivalent of “papers.” Such a requirement would allow the government to restrict their movements and activities in the manner of totalitarian regimes. In time, this could make other limits on freedom acceptable.

The author assumes which of the following?

a) The next presidential election will be dishonest, as has happened in eastern European countries.
b) The government will soon start curtailing the activities of those it considers “dissidents.”
c) Blanket restrictions on law-abiding individuals are contrary to the traditions of American culture and law.
d) The majority of Americans are not willing to give up their right to travel and move about without identification.
e) Americans should resist all government regulation of their lives.

A- Totally irrelevant
B- Irrelevant. We are not bothered about what the consequences are.
C- C Wins. The argument says that carrying documents is not American and doing so restricts movement. Statement C speaks about the same.
D- The argument is not assuming what the majority of americans are doing. In fact no where in the passage does it talk about the americans feel. It talks about what the author is saying.
E- Irrelevant. Its not about what the americans are supposed to do. It is about what the argument is assuming.

The correct answer here is 'none of the above'; the author isn't specifically assuming any of the answer choices. Sure, C comes closest to being right, but the author is only specifically assuming that it is 'un-American' to require citizens to carry "papers", and not that it is un-American for the government to impose any type of 'blanket restriction' on citizens. Where is this question from? It doesn't make any sense.

I'd add that D is certainly not right; the argument is not based on public opinion in any way, but rather on what the author considers to be 'un-American'.
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i picked D because i didnt quite understand what Blanket restrictions are. For those who dont now, it means universal/overall restrictions (cover every one).

+1 C

I feel it is C. When the argument mentions "unamerican", it refers to something related to tradition.
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OA is C.

OE: The conclusion of this argument is that the national identification system (“using licenses for purposes not directly related to operating a motor vehicle”) is un-American. The basis for this claim is that such a system would allow the government to restrict the liberty of its people. The necessary assumption is one that connects restrictions on liberties to the concept of “un-American” policies.

Though I too went with D...
But OE says Whether Americans are willing to give up their right to travel freely is irrelevant to this argument: that the national identification system is un-American simply because it restricts the liberties of U.S. citizens. Even if Americans were willing to give up their right to move about without identification, the system could still be considered un-American.

[A]: There is no information at all here about the Presidential election. Incorrect.
[B]: There is no reference to "dissidents", either directly or indirectly in the stimulus. Incorrect.
[C]: If using licenses as identification is un-American and could lead to restriction on movement, then the restrictions are also un-American, and therefore contrary to American culture and law. CORRECT.
[D]: The stimulus says nothing about what the majority of Americans feel. Incorrect.
[E]: This is an over-generalization. If Americans ought to oppose some restriction on their freedom, it does not mean that they should oppose all government regulation of their lives. Incorrect.

C is the right answer.
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+1 C

This seems like a real good GMAT question to answer your question. It has a great trap answer (D) and the wording feels right to me.

D can not possibly be the answer because Americans ARE currently required to travel and move about WITH identification. Choice D is a direct contradiction to the stated facts - the passage states that [Using licenses for purposes not directly related to operating a motor vehicle is un-American]. This statement tells you that licenses ARE directly used for operating a motor vehicle. And using common sense, that's what a Driver's License is. It's the law to drive with a Driver's License, you get a ticket if you're driving without one. All modes of traveling aside from hitch-hiking and just straight walking to where you're going require some form of ID. The premise is talking about adding to that restriction, using a Driver License to put more restriction in addition to the travel laws that currently exist.