Definition of "politicize" [politicize]

• To engage in or discuss politics. (verb-intransitive)
• To make political: "The mayor was given authority to appoint police commissioners and by virtue of that power was able to politicize the department” ( Connie Paige). (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The Republicans, with only a couple of exceptions have been overwhelmingly silent on the issue, and in some cases, like the MI AG, have come out against doing anything to help consumers (because he didn't want to "politicize" the issue)."
• "Bernanke hides behind the widely-shared premise that Congress should not "politicize" monetary policy."
• "Duh, there was no need to "politicize" RomneyCare as socialism because Mitt Romney is not a socialist."